Robert Simeoni Architects

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Four years after a fire tore through the Stokehouse, the popular venue has reclaimed its prominent location on St Kilda's foreshore. The new design which reimagines the Stokehouse’s exterior, is the result of a collaborative effort between Sydney-based Industrial Design studio TILT, Robert Simeoni Architects and owners, the Van Haandel Group.

The building doesn’t try to imitate its predecessor, instead, the design draws on cues taken from the site's beachside context, paying homage to the jetty via a blackened timber-clad façade. Raw elements such as leather, concrete and brick form a connection between the building and the artificial sand dunes. The dunes conceal the ground floor from street level, while also raising Stokehouse and creating the sense of a floating volume.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/20170536_jg_0511.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stokehouse appears to float above the sand dunes. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170536_jg_0511.jpg?itok=LsP8pDjR" title="The Stokehouse appears to float above the sand dunes. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stokehouse appears to float above the sand dunes. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>The restaurant is spread over two levels, and has been provided with a fresh new look, taking advantage of the views over St Kilda beach, just a few metres away.

The new precinct also houses casual bar and grill Pontoon, and fish-and-chip kiosk Paper Fish. TILT undertook the façade design, manufacturing and installation process which is expressed as a series of horizontally bi-folding screens located outside the restaurant’s windows. The screens provide protection from the sun, and can be raised to encompass unobstructed bay views.

<blockquote>
TILT was engaged to design, manufacture and install a series of bi-folding screens for the iconic Stokehouse restaurant rebuild in Melbourne. The screens sit outside the restaurant windows and provide protection from the sun, but can be raised to highlight beautiful ocean views. The beachside location is a demanding environment for mechanical structures.

The design utilises marine grade stainless steel for the fabricated structural elements, which is paramount for longevity and reliable performance. The screens provide a distinctive yet functional façade that offers uninterrupted views. This unique design retains the character of the building, while considering the comfort of patrons – a combination that results in the greatest commercial success.

- TILT
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/20170536_jg_0686.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stokehouse's operable facade controls the comfort of patrons. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170536_jg_0686.jpg?itok=It0NELtn" title="The Stokehouse's operable facade controls the comfort of patrons. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stokehouse's operable facade controls the comfort of patrons. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>The coastal location is a demanding environment for mechanical structures and so the use of marine grade stainless steel was used for the façade’s fabricated structural elements essential for durability and reliable performance within a beachside context.

TILT and Robert Simeoni Architects have created a new identity and recognisable aesthetic for the Stokehouse, with the operable screen, which has a practical application that considers and ensures the comfort of patrons.
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Robert Simeoni Architects

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