A.Baker by DesignOffice // New Acton, Canberra.

Nestled in the quaint surrounds of hip roofed pavilions in Canberra’s New Acton precinct, stepping into A.Baker feels as if you’ve plunged into another world. The new restaurant, bakery and bar designed by DesignOffice, is a dark and raw beauty and a lively urban addition to the precinct. I was lucky enough to fill my belly with orriechiette there, whilst visiting Canberra.

Originally the Acton Hotel site, the space was destroyed by fire in 2011. Rather than concealing this tragic event, DesignOffice’s transformation of the space celebrates the ashen walls. The textured walls, imbued with eighty years of the building’s history, provide a brooding romantic backdrop to the establishment. Monolithic bluestone counters, galvanized steel, concrete floors and exposed ceiling services continue the language of the raw, exposed aesthetic.

Raw but not agricultural, the detailing has the consideration one would expect from DesignOffice, but with a rougher, harder edge. The staircase is the crown jewel, employing steel panels sliding along single tubular steels rails.

A.Baker is absolutely worth a visit. It helps that the menu is a bit of alright too. I have only one gripe. Bring a few friends or get in early, or you may be relegated to the tiny table, awkwardly straddling the entry walkway. Boo for me. Escape this seat and you’re onto a winner.

Text by Ella Leoncio for Yellowtrace.

[Photography by Scottie Cameron. Images courtesy of DesignOffice.]