Inspiration
Hospitality

Juno Eatery Melbourne

Hospitality |

In ancient Roman mythology, the goddess Juno is a symbol of aid, youthfulness, and rejuvenation.

Ritz & Ghougassian were tasked to create a space for Juno, an eatery for 80+ people with a retail offering. With its sleek yet playful interiors and farm-to-table ethos, these qualities are exactly what Ahmed Mekawy hopes to embody at his new eatery.

With its sleek yet playful interiors and farm-to-table ethos, these qualities are exactly what Ahmed Mekawy hopes to embody at his new McKinnon cafe of the same name.“Our mission is to develop holistic products and services that nurture the soul, nature, communities,” he says. “We try to make conscious decisions like buying local, wild, seasonal, organic, ethically-sourced ingredients wherever possible.”

Ritz & Ghougassian were tasked to create a space for Juno, an eatery for 80+ people with a retail offering. The project evolved from an agrarian vision, drawing upon materiality found in food production and creating a design that reflected these principles, celebrating the material and process. “Looking to the farming landscape, fibreglass and galvanised sheds, stainless-steel equipment and timber framing ultimately formed our design language.” - Ritz & Ghougassian.

The eatery is panelled with a fibreglass grid, establishing a consistent rhythm throughout the space. The envelope is broken up with apertures of windows, and large farm-style sliding doors across the back of house areas, kitchen pass and pantry. A central coffee bench anchors the space, creating a functional divide between staff and patrons. Custom timber joinery and a thoughtful selection of chairs pair with the visible timber cross-bracing beneath each fibreglass panel.

Stepping past the entrance and into the dining area on the west is a harmonious curation of bespoke tables and chairs resting on timber flooring. For Juno, London based brand Established & Sons were commissioned for the majority of the seating throughout the space. Established & Sons was launched in Milan 2005 with a mission to produce products at the vanguard of design and become a recognised innovator in the industry. Established & Sons has captured the design world’s attention, working with both internationally renowned designers and brilliant new talent, realising their visions with a respect, and understanding for each designers’ individual style.

Ingeniously engineered by Dutch designer Wouter Scheublin, The Frame chair’s complex angles are balanced by the subtle curves of its seat and back rest to achieve a distinctive blend of character and formality in a tough, lightweight design. The Frame chair’s design compliments the holistic use of transparent fibreglass, allowing one to view beyond its surface and amplifies the perception of depth and volume. Playful shadows beyond the warm, amber glow of the fibreglass panels reflect energy and movement from the back of house, colouring the generous horizontal volume and creating a space of refuge that envelopes the patrons within.

Learn more about the Living Edge Hospitality portfolio.

Photography: Tom Ross

Developer: DealCorp