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    Ravi Handa designs his own wine bar called Stem in Montreal

    Reclaimed materials found during demolition work have been preserved and used as decoration in this Montreal wine bar called Stem that’s designed and co-owned by Ravi Handa Architect.

    Named Stem, the wine bar was completed earlier in 2020 near September, a cafe and surfboard workshop designed by the same architect in Montreal’s Little Burgundy neighbourhood.
    A piece of vintage wallpaper now hangs by the bar’s entranceUpon learning that a vacant space near September cafe would be taken up by a big-box pizza chain, the architect teamed up with some partners to lease the space themselves.

    “There was an uproar in the community and we [September] along with other local businesses on the block didn’t want a multinational chain as a neighbour,” Handa told Dezeen.
    “There was a great deal of pressure to create something soulful and anchored to place since we had convinced our landlords to break with a brand that we felt was perhaps void of soul and rather generic,” he added.
    Materials found on-site during demolition have been turned into artworksHanda envisioned an establishment that would draw cues from the cafe, offering a casual place for neighbours to gather in a nighttime setting.
    “As a partner, and because the business is physically linked to an already successful business, I was more emotionally invested in the design process than usual,” he said.
    “While the spirit of the cafe is reflected in the wine bar’s fine lines and warm palette, the new space has an identity of its own, using the stem as a source of inspiration.”
    Slim slats of wood, intended to represent wine glass stems, are a recurring motif in the interiors.
    A privacy screen separates the tasting room from the back-of-houseDuring the demolition of the existing space, several finishes and pieces of various materials were found and repurposed as artworks for the finished space.
    “Scraps of wood and metal were collected in collaboration with artist and friend Jeremy Le Chatelier, who incorporated them into works of art,” the architect said.

    Montreal wine bar Vinvinvin by Ménard Dworkind takes cues from bottle labels

    The long, narrow space features some walls painted in a dark green colour that was chosen based on a piece of vintage, hand-painted wallpaper that was found on site.
    Elsewhere, the existing brick demising walls are exposed in a nod to the area’s industrial past.
    Thin strips of wood that line the space are meant to look like the stem of a wine glassThin wooden slats cover the bar itself, a motif that is also found in a privacy screen that separates the back-of-house spaces from the tasting room.
    “[The screen] conceals the washroom and dishwashing area, without alienating workers from the lively energy in the bar,” said architect.
    New finishes contrast the existing walls in the bathroomIn the restroom, a concrete wall was left in its original condition, contrasting the new tiles and fixtures that were installed during the renovation.
    In an effort to support local brands and designers, the architect sourced furniture and lighting from within the city’s tight-knit design community. The lights are by a Luminaire Authentik and the furniture was designed by Atelier Appareil, the furniture arm of Appareil Architecture.
    Other projects in Montreal include a newly opened coworking space by Ivy Studio and a retro coffee bar downtown by Ménard Dworkind.
    The photography is by Olivier Blouin.

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    Mizzi Studio uses pink and emerald green for Barbajean restaurant in Malta

    Design practice Mizzi Studio paired pink terrazzo with emerald-green velvet and timber to form the bold interior of restaurant Barbajean in Malta.Serving a menu of modern Meditteranean dishes, Barbajean occupies a prominent corner property in the village of Dingli.
    The quiet village sits at the highest point of Malta, and has uninterrupted views out across the ocean towards the uninhabited isle of Filfla.

    Barbajean has a pink and green facade

    Mizzi Studio’s founder, Jonathan Mizzi – who is from Malta – designed the restaurant so that it pays tribute to Dingli and its scenic landscape, but also “injects [the village] with new life”.
    “Working within the village’s particular urban fabric was a key inspiration for us,” said Mizzi.”We wanted to create a restaurant that would stand at the core of a quintessential Maltese village experience.”

    Three arches punctuate the restaurant’s terrazzo-lined bar
    The baby-pink facade of Barbajean has been made to include architraves and coloured doors– two elements that Mizzi says can be seen on the exterior of a typical Maltese home.
    Emerald-green timber doors have been built into the facade’s trio square openings. Each opening is surrounded by a chunky pink-terrazzo architrave, created by Maltese surface manufacturer Halmann Vella.

    Malta-themed artwork has been mounted on Barbajean’s walls
    The pink and green colour scheme continues inside the restaurant. Rose-coloured terrazzo lines the wall behind the drinks bar, which has been punctuated with three arched niches.
    Liquor bottles and glassware are displayed inside the niches, illuminated by neon-pink strip lights that have been installed overhead.
    Rosy terrazzo has also been used to craft the surfacetop of the bar counter, the base of which is made from fluted timber that’s been stained green. Just in front is a row of pink high chairs with tubular brass frames.

    Dining chairs are accompanied by pink-terrazzo tables
    A lengthy seating banquette upholstered in emerald velvet winds its way around the opposite side of the room, accompanied by pink terrazzo tables inlaid with flecks of Guatemala Verde marble.
    Directly above are a series of prints by Maltese illustrator Ed Dingli, which depict quotidian scenes of life in the village.

    Mizzi Studio completes stingray cafe alongside the Serpentine

    In between the prints are custom-made light fixtures designed by Mizzi Studio, which feature curling brass stems and spherical bulbs.
    Surfaces in this area of the restaurant are painted a pale mint shade, but another dining nook that lies towards the rear of the plan has been given a cosier feel with dark-green walls and wooden floorboards.

    Towards the back of the restaurant is another dining nook
    Mizzi Studio was established in 2011 and has offices in both London and Valletta, the capital of Malta. Barbajean isn’t the only hospitality space that the studio has designed – last year it completed works on The Serpentine Coffee House in London’s Hyde Park.
    The venue boasts glass walls and a gold, undulating roof that’s meant to resemble the shape of a stingray.
    Photography is by Brian Grech.
    Project credits:
    Stonework: Halman VellaBrass fabrication: Anvil and ForgeJoinery and upholstery: Construct FurnitureCustom print artwork: Ed DingliBranding: Steves and Co

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