FORTITUDE. Café has injected life into a much needed area and embraces the ‘Valley’ vibe with pops of neon, colour and memorable graphics. This new Café & Bar fitout has created an open & light filled space, while also paying tribute to the locality & history of the Fortitude Valley.
FORTITUDE. Café sits on the ground floor of a large office building, and is directly accessible from passing pedestrians and workers from the adjoining building across the courtyard. Our brief was to convert the existing dark and dated fitout into an open, light, textural & eye-catching space to attract all walks of life. We took this to the next level with the reference to the ship, The fortitude, which was the reason for the name of the suburb.
The space now connects to the street and courtyard through the bi-fold doors. We also wanted to connect with the heritage of the name and introduced timbers, weatherboard and abstracted ship graphics.
All selections reflect the fresh and clean approach with honest and raw touches of terracotta and cork combined with fresh whites, minty and fresh greens, greenery and timber. Selections were selected for warmth, texture and to evoke a sense of calm amongst the rush of the working week.
The café is a retreat from the harsh courtyard and office surrounds that welcomes all gatherings, meetings, times of the day and visitor preferences. The café and neon signs signal the energy and freshness that exists within and the visitors agree.
Fortitude Valley is located on the fringe of the CBD and is a mixture of heritage brick buildings, art and nightlife. We wanted to embrace this vibe with a twist and without the grunge associated with the surrounds. We brought fresh in ‘The F. Word’ pink neon lettering sitting above a pink velvet banquette in the lounge; hand glazed green tiles, concrete look stone, Patricia Urquiola breeze blocks and more neon lighting to the food service & dining area.
The combination has activated a back street that previously looked un-tenantable and enables a multi-functioning space of café during the day which morphs into a bar come nightfall ensuring the success. The client’s passion for food & bar culture is apparent in the fitout and is evidence in itself that this can be achieved on a very tight budget.
Not only did we undertake the interior design of the space, we took our clients on an identity & branding journey. It was extremely important to us that the two worked seamlessly together. Through our exploration we discovered the meaning of the local area and decided to pay homage to this throughout the fitout. This history of the suburb was incorporate into the fitout and branding, while also incorporating elements & textures which the valley is known for.
We worked closed with the client to create the logos, graphics & stationery, which has given FORTIUDE. Café a truly unique identity.
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