One of the most important projects we’d worked on to date and aspirational to the point that this venue became our first studio space, this is an example of clients becoming family and a truly memorable experience for everyone involved. During the project we fundamentally evolved our approach to focus on more integrated design solutions.
We converted an existing restaurant into South Africa’s first bartender-owned cocktail bar. Matching our clients’ ambition with an aspirational design approach, we created a palette of warm woods, rusted metals, deep greens and planted walls for the interior, which opened into a large multi-functional space. The main feature was the bar itself, an elaborate centrepiece.
In reactivating the servitude into a functional pergola-covered space, we connected the bar with the urban fabric of Melville, the alley became a transitional space that centred the bar as a social hub. This unlocked a previously disused storage space into a further 50 m² studio space that would host MILarchi Architects for the next 1.5 years.
Project Details
Type: Commercial – Cocktail Bar
Client: Mootee Bar
Collaborators: MILarchi Architects, Constance Construction.
Size: 800 m²
Location: Melville, Johannesburg
Status: Built
Partners-in-charge: Matthew Millar
Project manager: Matthew Millar
Project Leader: Matthew Millar
Team: Matthew Millar, Ruairidh Mcload, Dominic Walsh, Peter Good and Arno Constance.
Let’s work together.
Architecture is a journey we undertake with our clients, walking together throughout the process from inception to completion. Contact us for an introductory consultation.
