Subterranean stunner Central cleans up at the Australian Interior Design Awards
Last week, the Australian Interior Design Awards handed out a swag of accolades for the country’s most artfully designed spaces. Brisbane City’s moody Hong Kong-inspired restaurant Central, designed by award-winning studio J.AR Office, took out a number of awards on the night – including the Hospitality Design Award. Here’s what we know …
Central, located in a heritage-listed space off Queen Street, was lauded by the Australian Interior Design Awards jury as a “highly inventive project” and received the highest honour of the night. Alongside the Hospitality Design Award, Central also scored the Premier Award for Australian Interior Design a nod for Best of State Commercial – Queensland, with judges praising the restaurant for its “level of cleverness that uses constraints to its advantage.”
Dedicated to the corporate district of 1980s Hong Kong and showcasing a flavour-packed take on Cantonese cuisine, Central turned heads when it opened its doors last October. The inconspicuous street front leads customers down into a moody basement space that boasts a sense of drama and directness, for which the restaurant has gained its distinction.
J.AR Office, the Queensland-based firm responsible for Central’s striking design, is regarded as one of the most exciting design teams in the country. Founded by Jared Webb in 2022, J.AR Office has earned praise for its work designing restaurants like Gerard’s, Norté and Sueno, with a clutch of other anticipated projects in the works.
Queensland received another award for Byron Bay-based Studio Plenty, which was awarded Emerging Interior Design Practice. Studio Plenty’s work Burly Bar was heralded for its deliciously intimate interior, along with its use of warm colours and delicate detailing to create its welcoming environment. The eclectic gin bar serves modern Australian cuisine in a New York style lounge that boasts Japanese influences. The end result is a rich and earthy atmosphere, evocative of sun-warmed desert plains at dusk.
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Other Queensland venues shortlisted for the awards include Supernormal, ēmmē and +81 Aziome Bar.
According to the jury, this year’s showcase prioritised human experience and wellbeing, saying that the mark of a strong space is one that can “educate, bring joy, nurture and inspire.” Taking into consideration spaces from residential, public, workspace, retail, hospitality, and installation design categories, the program also had awards for Sustainability Advancement and Emerging Interior Design Practice.
Perth-based designer/educator and jury member, Katherine Ashe, commented on the element of risk taking and boundary pushing that was inherent to so many of the award-winning projects this year. “[This is] exactly the kind of boldness that will propel Australian design onto the international stage, as long as we continue moving in that direction.”
See the full list of Australian Interior Design Awards winners here.