Glory Days at Bondi Pavilion by COX.

Conceived in a lockdown as a love letter to lazy summer days, Glory Days is Bondi’s answer to the nostalgic European holidays us Australians adore. Not another tourist café, but rather a space that expresses the duality of the city beach lifestyle that is Sydney. Designed by COX, the interiors seek to connect Sydney with the world—paying homage to Jorn Utzon’s pink stone summer house in Mallorca.

The interior is an eclectic mix of textured and coloured stone with burnt reds and soft greens reminiscent of the Australian landscape. A red travertine bar snakes around the compact space, creating a takeaway window and a lively back bar with views to the kitchen.

Repeated iterations of white piping details appear in seat cushions, tile edges and scalloped umbrella trims. The clay-tiled banquette is offset with woven dining chairs on a white tube frame complemented with patinated vintage lighting.

Courtyard House in Glebe by Joe Agius / Cox Architecture.

Joe Agius has reconfigured a terrace home in Glebe referencing Moroccan Riad principles, orientated a central garden...

COX balances respect for the heritage building with the creation of a space that feels contemporary of its place. Arched heritage windows are a constant reminder of the character of the Pavilion, where sunlight streams through and dances across the gloss and matte textures. Outside, the exterior terrace is furnished with sandy stone tables and teak and linen chairs—a perfect place to catch Bondi’s famous sunrises, hazy summer afternoons and slow sunsets.

“The Bondi Pavilion is truly an iconic building and we’re excited to be opening our doors here with a design that is both fresh and respectful of this incredible heritage building,” says Glory Days owner, Aaron Crinis. “We’re saying every day is a vacay.”

Bloom Cafe in Adelaide by Sans-Arc.

With a hyper-functional layout, the designers used subtle textures and contrasting forms to create a unique interior that embraces the texture...

[Images courtesy of Cox Architecture. Photography by Adrian Mesko.]