CanopyBlackhearts & Sparrows - HQ
Peeling back the layers of a century-old Collingwood pub
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WHAT WE DID
Office Fitouts
Restaurant Fitouts
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BUDGET
$750,000 -
DURATION
10 weeks
There's something curious, exciting and inspiring about building and designing office fitouts within heritage buildings. Peeling back the layers of a century-old Collingwood pub and transforming it into the chic and sophisticated Blackhearts & Sparrows HQ was no exception. For decades, this space served as a popular spot for punters, frozen in time while the Smith St locality made its rise to the 'coolest street in the world'. Therefore, it was Canopy's mission to transform the space with an office fitout to reflect the boutique wine retailer's Melbourne spirit and grace the accolades of its area.
Working with the place, rather than against
When working with a unique space like this, it can be difficult to find the middle ground of completely changing its functionality while maintaining its existing structure. Since our client needed both a generous function area and enclosed office space, the two-story building seemingly worked in favour of our client's office fitout's floor plan requirements. Initially, the upstairs space consisted of an existing residence with internal structural walls separating each bedroom. For many commercial renovations, demolishing existing structures is half the job! However, these internal walls remained in place and accommodated the client's choice to separate independent teams into their rooms at their new office fitout. In the same way, as an existing pub, the downstairs space was suitable as an entertainment/function area. The renovation phase required a relocation of the bar counter and extension of the outdoor terrace, making for a bespoke space fit for events and wine-tasting.
