Urban Attitude Highpoint Melbourne. Meme has interpreted the Fabio Ongarato award winning branding concept for the giftware retailer into it’s latest concept store at the Grimshaw designed Highpoint shopping centre.

Photographer James Geer 

This room is for cooking, eating and living, therefore it was designed with maximisation of space and comfort in mind. Each cupboard and drawer has been considered for optimum size accordingly to purpose. Behind these doors the kitchen comes to life while closed neatness prevails!The  was a desire to conceal as much visual clutter as possible while still functioning efficiently as a kitchen, a pleasant dining space and a relaxing living area.  The kitchen geometry was carefully composed involving the windows and doors in the design. Views to neighbours have been blocked off via new highlight windows. By visually extending the room into the garden the indoors shares the outdoor aspect and creates a strong visual focus for the room.

Photography by Sonia Mangiapane.

Featured in Houses Kitchens + Bathrooms Issue 07

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne

The Circa Courtyard has been updated with new furniture for the atrium bar. TIO chairs & high bar stool from Luke Furniture by Massproductions with a light weight design choosen to highten the outdoor appeal of the space. High bar tables custom designed by Meme.Seasonal winter art curation by Utopian Slumps Director Melissa Loughnan features artist Starlie Geikie.  Leather wall hangings feature in the bar and rear dining room, with work on craft paper warm the restaurant.

Photography by Terrence Chin

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne

Charcoal Lane is designed with dual function as a restaurant and a training facility for aboriginal and disadvantaged young people. Charcoal Lane is a not for profit social enterprise run by Mission Australia and one of the first of its kind in Australia. The aim of this project was to create an interior that was youthful and unrecognisably aboriginal. Sought as a destination which has a local context to the surrounding restaurants and galleries in Gertrude Street Fitzroy.  With this we were able to create a cultural context with a series of art installations which can be seen in the a hand crafted eel trap lighting and in art commissions by Gail Maddigan + Jennifer Mullet.

Designed in collaboration with Tandem design studio.

Photography by Sonia Mangiapane.

This interior refurbishment involved a close working relationship with the client. The priceless collection of art, objects and classic furniture became the design focus of the brief. Our approach was to survey and curate the art, customise each room with finely crafted joinery to house and exhibit carefully positioned pieces. New furniture and soft furnishings selected are quietly masculine in form and moody tone. Designed as a comfortable home amongst artwork rather than a museum, the interior is neutral and contrasting to highlight the collection and the client’s individuality.

Photography by Sonia Mangiapane.

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne.

Meme is currently working on updating the soft furnishings of the Hotel Rooms at the Prince of Wales Hotel.

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne

Circa at The Prince  continues to evolve and follow iconic pursuit. We worked closely with new operator, Julian Gerner of Melbourne Pub Group to reinstate/restore the original dining room and redeem qualities of the hotel’s courtyard charm with a new destination central bar. Spaces take on a breath of life and are now activated ,become engaged to improve mixed usage.

The Fritz  Hanson classics are re-purposed and positioned with both European and custom pieces along-side local emerging artworks. Art curation by Utopian Slumps Director Melissa Loughnan.  Continuing the intrigue and the language of the hotel appeal.

Guests will find a buzzier bar clad in deco inspired brass, mirror and black glass reflecting frivolity and a glittering green ceiling installation.

Photography by Earl Carter

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne

The NGVI Bookshop within the foyer space of the National Gallery of Victoria.

Blurring the line of commerce and art, shop and foyer throughout the shop the customer interacts with varied products and experiences ranging  from the bookshop, library, kids product, home wares, adornment and paper. Each of the areas is purpose built + considered to maximise the product + shoppers desires and needs. Joinery is interactive, bookcases hold books but also become seating. Merchandise displays become screens to create intimate places.  The idea was to remove the barrier between the shop front, the interior design and the museum foyer and a set up a series shops with in the shop. At the entry low height joinery is designed to house carefully curated merchandise and new releases of books. A Gallery Kitchen Cafe along side the shop is under going a make over to be completed 2011.

Designed in collaboration with Tandem design studio.

Photography by Dianna Snape & Shannon McGrath

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne.

Meme was invited to design the very first popup hospitality venture in the great hall for the 2011 Wintermasters ‘Vienna Art and Design’

There are strong design cues to artists and designers of the Secessionist period with particular focus on the theatrical interior of Cabaret Fledermaus. Meme drew on the synergy between the signature crafted tiled walls of Cabaret Fledermaus and the Leonard French stained-glass ceiling of the Great Hall. Together with a Joseph Hoffman black and white tiled floor and the selection of #12 and #14 Thonet chairs. Amongst the theatrical foliage, the custom-designed LED light follies transform the triple-height space.

Meme worked with suppliers to sponsor elements of the project preserving the design intent and increasing the budget for this project.

The opening of the exhibition was conducted by Dr Gerard Vaughan and Ted Bailleau Premier of Victoria on the 16^th June 2011.  The back drop featured the illuminated screen of the Cafe.

Meme has had an instrumental role with the interior and improvements made to the commercial offers within the NGVI including Gallery Shop, High Tea room and Persimmon Restaurant.

Photography by Sonia Mangiapane.

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne

Albert Park College is a government school that opened Feb 2011. It is situated on blue-chip real-estate, 2 streets back from the esplanade of Albert Park Beach, Melbourne.  It was built to replace the former neglected Albert Park High School which was closed due to low attendance and reputation. The college was a challenging curatorial design exercise with a brief to work up a typically austere state high school interior with standard joinery details and colour selections, into a dynamic learning environment. We challenged the status quo, by designing a vibrant and appealing new interior overlay. Developed the school brand through its uniform and identity, in a bid to make it more socially appealing and anchor it strongly within its local community.

Meme was approached by the Founding Principal Steve Cook (formally the principal of the award winning Williamstown High School.)

Budget and environmentally focused, Meme sourced designer furniture including the classic Herman Miller’s which were re-purposed into office areas.

We encouraged a collaborative approach with local suppliers and design community …

Collaborators

Studio Round - identity

Work Art Life - way finding and signage

MAP International  

Egans Auctions – recycled furniture

Inlite – specialist lighting

This project is ongoing and evolving. We have discussed a collaborative relationship with Apple for purpose built furniture and equipment. To aid this new learning culture, every student is currently working from iPADs.

Memes’ design and social intent was to impart a visual language for this school that resonated through the interior, brand, materials, furniture, and people all of which evolve a story of “PLACE” which will hopefully mark an inspiring beginning and fruitful future.

As said: “Meme et al have not only succeeded in making good design more widely accessible, they’ve also managed to create a public educational brand capable of competing in the typically private school-centric Albert Park/Bayside area.” Broadsheet

Albert Park College has been shortlisted for the 2011 IDEA DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARDS: Best Institutional

Photography by Terence Chin

Meme is an Interior Design & Architecture Practice based in Balaclava, Melbourne