Letra House

CART

_{PROJECTS > LETRA HOUSE}

Letra House

_{PROJECT STATS}

_Client
_{Studio Vista}

_Year
₂₀₂₃

_Location
_{Sydney, NSW}

_Photographer
_{Andrea Veltom}

Interview

Letra House - A Conversation with Sarah from Studio Vista

MLP – Can you tell us about the journey that led you to establish Studio Vista, and some of the inspiration behind your work?

I’d worked in architectural firms for 13 years on large commercial projects and my move to Sydney influenced my love for hospitality spaces. I was lucky enough to have met with Matt from the Love Tilly Group at a time when he was planning to open his next space. Excited by the opportunity I’d put together some concept images & we went together to look at the site, a couple of wines later we had a clear vision of the space which became Ragazzi.

I remember telling him at the time Dear Sainte Eloise was my favourite wine bar, which I cringe thinking about that now, but it seems to have worked out, we’ve designed 10 restaurants together since then.

Of course it wasn’t as simple as, meeting Matt and suddenly starting Studio Vista, I was working full time and managing these beautiful private projects in my own time, eventually I reached a point where I was ready to take the leap and launch my own studio.

MLP – Studio Vista is known for its boutique hospitality projects, particularly wine bars and restaurants. What draws you to these more intimate hospitality spaces?

Hospitality spaces have a human centric connection to curating the diners experience, it’s intrinsically layered and thoughtful. I love the narrative behind each venue, whether it’s how the owner came upon the site, the heritage of the building, the passion for food or wine concept.

DESIGNER SARAH WATT

Overview

MLP CUSTOM MADE WALL LIGHT WITH SHELF

The interior helps tell that story by creating an atmosphere and setting the tone, there are many elements that bring the space together, making them intimate, like a curated experience that draws people in. We build a relationship with the client that allows all of those little details to come together and make the space special. I love that holistically we all play a role in that & there’s an empathetic approach that leads the aesthetics and pragmatics equally.

MLP – Your projects are highly layered and bespoke. How do you approach concept development at the beginning of a project?

Capturing the clients vision is where we begin, this acts as an anchor for the design; returning back to the key message when looking at each aspect. I’ve learnt a lot from project to project, there is no cookie cutter approach. These bespoke elements usually evolve from solving functional requirements and transforming them into a creative solutions.

At Letra House the client wanted wait staff to have the capacity to re-set the tables between sittings without leaving the section. The ceilings were low so trying to fit wall lighting, glassware, point of sale a clear working surface all in a small footprint inspired a custom wall light shelf to accommodate functionality while adding a beautiful detail to the space. It’s not an unusual request but the solution is unique to this design.

With this one element we created something simple, elegant and functional which is unique to the project. It’s one of my favourite pieces but so understated.

MLP – How does lighting influence your design process, from early concept through to the completed space?

Lighting is arguably the most critical element within a hospitality design creating the desired ambiance contributing to the dining experience. Visual cues of a fitting in context can bring nostalgia, show an appreciation for quality or add hand crafted character to the space, it’s an extension of the personality we’re creating.

It’s more than just aesthetics though, its technical too. I’ve learnt an enormous amount about lighting by working with consultants and really appreciate the generosity of knowledge that they’re willing to share. Getting the balance of the lux levels for functionality as well as warmth that lighting adds to the space.

MLP – Can you share a project where lighting was key to transforming the space or elevating the overall design outcome?

Letra House is a beautiful project that I worked on with The Love Tilly Group. The site is a heritage listed building from 1800’s, the entry was originally a loading platform to the building back when goods came via horse and cart with an old lift winch that hangs in the entry used to transport goods through a now enclosed lift shaft. At one stage the building was occupied by & named Letraset House – the print company that produced metal letters to print typography fonts – hence the name, Letra House.

There is so much character within the fabric of the original building that was a derelict space when we discovered it, we removed decades worth of paint to reveal the original masonry walls and added an auburn inky stain finish to the concrete, the layers of toppings added a unique texture and imperfectness to the space.

LETRA HOUSE ENTRANCE

MLP CUSTOM MADE WALL LIGHT WITH SHELF

It was critical to maintain and express as much of this original heritage character and share a story behind that connection to the space. The interior is filled with intentionally imperfect & patinated finishes to complement the heritage envelope illuminated in a gentle and considered way.

It seemed a shame at the time when we had to clad over the existing timber rafters for the building change of use, but it created a great opportunity to dimly light the space with mini profile recessed downlights, responding to the linear form, expressing the architecture concealed behind it. This repetitious form inspired the custom wall lights with square perforations and a simple LED to create a glow and catch light on the glasses placed on the shelf below.

MLP – Looking ahead, are there any lighting approaches, materials or technologies you’re excited to explore in future hospitality projects?

I really enjoyed the collaborative process of designing custom fittings and working alongside craftspeople to develop bespoke elements. Looking ahead to future hospitality projects, I’m excited to continue exploring innovative lighting approaches and materials by collaborating with other creatives and building a team that shares this design philosophy. Moving forward, it’s an exciting era for advancements in lighting technologies and sustainable materials, which I’m eager to integrate into my work at Studio Vista.

MLP – Thanks so much for your time Sarah, we can’t wait to see whats next for Studio Vista!