Familiar and Futuristic: Pidapipo Laboratorio Fitzroy by Dion Hall.

Melbourne’s beloved Pidapipo has a new Italian dessert destination in the heart of Fitzroy. With interior architecture by Dion Hall, Laboratorio is enveloped in stainless steel, taking cues from the high glamour of the 70s, in a robustly futuristic kitchen of gleaming Willy Wonka-esque proportions.

Originally a bank, the facade was left untouched—graffiti included—to preserve the locality of the building and its connection to the surrounding neighbourhood. Contrasting between the old and new, stainless steel is carried through to the new window and door treatments, blurring the boundary between the street and inside—a direct call-back to Pidapipo’s very first store where gelato making was visible to the street.

The clean lines and sleek husk play perfect backdrop for a lighting installation added to the space. With the ceiling made up of one continual plane of light, colours are injected into the interior, taking cues from the golden hours of the sun. “The beginning point for my work is relatively simple as I always begin with ‘light and space’, and the pursuit to challenge a conceptual framework,” Dion elaborates. “In this instance it was exploring how to form a relationship between the space and the sun.”

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As part of the launch, Pidapipo underwent a brand refresh by Melbourne legends Studio Ongarato. The branding studio drew on industrial and futuristic elements from 1970s Italian design, which embodies the experimental factory-style experience of the new store. “The Laboratorio is a unique destination — a Willy Wonka place where gelato is made, and new creations are invented,” says creative director, Fabio Ongarato. A minimal palette of Olivetti green and white to complement Dion Hall’s interiors was used, with branding and design from Italian luxury fashion houses also acting as significant inspiration. “It’s Milan glamour meets 70s north Italian industrialists and factories,” Fabio continues.

Also on decks were long-time collaborators Perks And Mini (P.A.M). Tasked with designing uniforms exclusively worn in the Laboratorio, the Melbourne design house riffed off the idea of infusing traditional Italian pasticceria uniforms with laboratory aesthetics, adding highlights of reflective details and bright green decals. P.A.M have created full-look uniforms, including headwear and lab coats.

As familiar as it is futuristic, Pidapipo Laboratorio enables customers to experience Italian nostalgia in a contemporary setting, where gelato production is displayed as part of the venue design for everyone to see. “[What] I admire most is the interplay between the stainless steel and the light installation. How this informs the space during the day, under different weather conditions, and into the evening creates an animation I am pleased with,” Dion concludes.

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[Images courtesy of Dion Hall. Photography by Earl Carter.]