The concept for Steamworks Mount Pleasant was to combine the cosiness of the Gastown brew pub and the liveliness of Mount Pleasant with a park-side vibe that would complement the adjacent future public park.
To reference the cozy feel of heritage Gastown brewpub, brick and wood finishes were used throughout with dining areas warmly lit by pendant lighting. To bring a Mt Pleasant vibe, we chose light coloured brick and light-toned timbers and employed the talents of a local mural artist to create the backdrop for it all. The future park adjacency immediately stood out as an amazing opportunity to create an internal space that felt like it was an extension of the park. By bringing the island bar to the openable storefront with a broad wooden trellis structure overhead, we hoped to invoke the familiar and idyllic atmosphere of food and drink on the backyard patio. During summertime the large sliding doors open to allow the patio to become an extension of the interior space. Sturdy wood picnic tables are used both indoors and out to reference familiar park furniture while arrays of large-scale, orb lights suspend over the interior dining spaces as a take on garden festoon lighting. And finally, as a backdrop to it all and a tribute to the mural-rich neighbourhood, a mountain-themed mural provides an abstract view to the North Shore mountains beyond.