2019 Gallery

There is a beautiful simplicity to the design of Blacksmith in Mulwala, New South Wales, and a sophistication that is all the more exciting given the venue’s regional location. The proportions of the indoor/outdoor space are well controlled, with the palette and materials showing incredible restraint and elegance. This restraint allows the few pops of whimsy to have a greater impact: vintage-style pink patio umbrellas might get lost in a busier design, but here they evoke 1970s Southern California without devolving into cliche. There’s a flexibility to the multiple spaces and configurations that is quite clever, and the designers specifically worked to create a plan that might easily expand as the business grows. It is especially impressive that Mulwala’s pre-existing mid-century buildings were taken into consideration – the project is designed to blend in with its neighbours while simultaneously providing the town with something new and fresh.