An old toy shop in Melbourne’s Brunswick has been given a new lease of life by Technē Architecture + Interior Design.

From the use of colour akin to Brunswick Green on the exterior, a community noticeboard at the front and local personalities’ portraits gracing the walls, the new Lobbs café is a destination made for and inspired by the local community.

The café’s namesake, William Lobb, is a former landowner of Lobbs Hill, which is also the site of the venue today. Lobbs is defined by a sense of serenity, created through the combination of
pastel colours with greenery.

Justin Northrop, director at Technē, explains the design direction behind the café. “We wanted Lobbs to be comfortable and approachable so it could easily become people’s local café,” he says.

“The brief was to create an open, light-filled and inviting space which celebrated the existing conditions of the building.”

For the interiors, block colouring, sitting against crisp whites, brings the venue to life along with nature and greenery which complements the exterior. “We have used a series of calming colours for the interiors allowing the materiality within the space to accentuate the muted palette,” says Northrop.

The monolithic servery makes a statement towards the front with linear lighting above while a private dining area sits at the rear, elevated on a platform to offer groups a secluded space.

Bench style seating creates natural dividers in the dining space while corrugated polycarbonate sheeting is used to both accentuate and separate the kitchen from the main café area.

Photography by Tom Blachford