Set within Gordon Stephenson House, the new venue – with its large footprint, soaring ceilings and limited access to natural light – did present a few issues from the get-go when it came to creating an intimate atmosphere. But as Studio Plenty director Will Rathgeber explains, “our design approach embraced this challenge front to back – lighting, tone and texture all contributing to a harmonious gradient of light to dark, from open to intimate.”What the brief called for was something that would feel at home in a buzzing CBD, catering to tourists and locals, as well as a corporate lunch crowd. The team drew on the success of their Byron Bay fit-out but refined it to better suit the Perth locale. “Despite its scale, we approached Perth with a finer grain, breaking down playful textures, refining the fabric,” says Rathgeber.
