Lowbrow.

Lowbrow. is an eatery located in Queens Rise food court, Auckland CBD, owned by Jordan McDonald and Kyle Street. The interior of the small eatery is based on Offbeat Decor (inspired by the “lowbrow” art movement) making customers feel a lively experience. (https://www.metromag.co.nz/food/food-restaurants/lowbrow-culprit-metro-review) The black interior featuring the black framed roller doors with timber flooring creates a ‘dark’ dining experience, while reflecting pink neon lighting on each surface. On the left hand wall lies a bold neon pink/red coloured sign, which helps sets the tone of the atmosphere.

I think the neon logo sign is very effective, engaging customers to dine in. The the materials of the tables and chairs reflect the neon pink lighting around the room beautifully. It is interesting to see a very simple black and wooden interior being transformed into a busy and fun experience, due to the use of colour and lighting in the space. Simple and effective. I also like the simple style of the tables and chairs with a dark undertone.

Happy Boy Eatery

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Happy Boy Eatery is located in Royal Oak, Auckland. This ‘social-media-ready‘ area opened in July 2017 by designers Celeste Thornley and Jasper and Ludo Maignot. The purpose of Happy Boy was to attract younger + older users of social media (particularly Instagram) who can share aesthetic food and interior pictures on their platform, that way encouraging more people to visit. The use of colour, neon lighting and graphic design in the interior is also captivating, making the room feel more buzzy/lively.

This example will be very useful when choosing the colours and materials of my walkway design. They achieved the neon light reflecting off the coloured acrylic tables, ceiling and floor nicely. This has inspired me to use reflective materials to convey the busy and lively look of the atmosphere. The way the doorways have been outlined by neon/LED strip lighting, has made me consider using this technique for my bar/cafe.

Imperial Lane

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Imperial Lane was designed by Fearon Hay Architects and built in 2012. Imperial Lane is a ground level connection between Fort Lane and Queen Street, occupied by street dining.
“Vertical shafts are cut through the floors above the lane, introducing light into the space and a language of opaque glass and steel to complement the ‘found’ brickwork, timber truss, stone and dilapidated concrete of the original fabric.” (https://www.fearonhay.com/imperial-buildings).

This is very similar to my own design concept of the St James Theatre lobby with the shortcut walkway/dining area. The architects of Imperial Lane did a great job in keeping the materials of the passageway area, the same as the existing building. This has inspired my decision making in materials and keeping the heritage building theme throughout the space, as well as my own contemporary neon installation. I am aware the scale of this laneway is a lot bigger than the lobby of the St James Theatre, so I have less space to work with if I am transforming the space into a cafe/bar area as well.

V&A Dundee Museum

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V&A Dundee Museum designed by Kego Kuma, was built in 2018.

Kuma’s V&A Dundee Museum has inspired me on how I could build my installation physically. I am interested in the structure of the exterior of the building in particular and the triangular entrance. I am attracted to the way the exterior looks more like a support structure than a finished exterior with solid walls and the joining of each slab. I have considered designing an entrance in my installation similar to his, possibly into the main theatre.