A place to meet and dine with family and friends, Olive is a light and fresh establishment with a nod to the Mediterranean inspired cuisine it represents
A place where flavour, fun, family and friends come first, Olive seamlessly captures the Mediterranean spirit. Through the innovative reinvention of an existing restaurant, bespoke craftsmanship and a highly collaborative creative design process transformed this long, low and linear space into a vibrant, inviting dining experience.
Active collaboration was the only way to achieve the project’s 6-week construction deadline. The design moved and evolved quickly, incorporating valued interaction from the client, graphic designer, builder, trades and suppliers at each step. With traditional joinery not an option, our process was more engaged with the craft. Two carpenters worked on-site full-time, handcrafting the bespoke bar displays, dado shelves and kitchen service pass. Locally sourced, on-hand materials were used including beech FSC certified timbers throughout.
"Our collaboration with the studio began as soon as we had our early brand and menu ideas. The project challenge was working outside everyone’s comfort zone to develop all aspects of the restaurant concurrently. It took some real creativity from the team to open Olive six weeks after receiving the keys to the tenancy. From a workflow perspective, we kept everything that worked, but improved efficiency and storage in everything we designed together. Olive emerged as a fully mature, bespoke-built venue that felt like it was always meant to be there."
Themis Chryssidis
Owner, Sprout Group
Refurbishing an existing restaurant space, the bar and kitchen areas remained in their locations, reinvented to suit the new venue and brand concept
With the low-level ceilings and extensive low-lying services unable to be removed, this created the catalyst for the strong design feature of the suspended timber installation that spans the entire venue
From Morocco to the Middle East, the design harmoniously blends the region's influences to create a cohesive Mediterranean-fused hospitality experience. A strength of subtleties in the colour palette was important to champion the food when it appeared on the plate. Blending warm tones and soft greens, white-wash archways, custom terrazzo tables, oversized wicker pendants, curtains and the latte pole feature ceiling are identifiable elements of the Olive brand.
An exercise in retaining, reusing and reinventing, the project focused less on scheduling and more on prioritising resourcefulness and sustainability to adapt the design quickly based on selection and material availability. A high level of creativity and collaboration was required to develop a robust design vision and palette that allowed clever decisions to be made on the fly to reinforce the new brand — considering where each element was travelling from and associated costs, to deliver in the 6-week construction period.
With an eternal feel, the maturity of the venue’s presentation bears no indication of the speed at which it was delivered. Delivering a quality outcome for an established hospitality group, Olive sets a new benchmark for what can be achieved in a restricted space within a rapid turnaround.
Adding texture to the space, the oversized wicker pendants feature throughout adding warmth and casting detailed shadows across the walls and floor creating a relaxed oasis atmosphere
Olive is our second project for the Sprout Group, following our delivery of Eleven Restaurant.
