Raw beauty
In Adelaide’s West End, Studio-gram has used Baltic pine and tough finishes to give Japanese-korean restaurant Shobosho a minimal but rich interior.
Restaurateur Simon Kardachi is behind some of Adelaide’s most exciting new restaurants. He’s had a hand in reactivating various pockets of the CBD and his latest hospitality offering brings a Japanesekorean flavour fusion to trendy Leigh Street in the city’s West End. It also signals the second project in Kardachi’s collaboration with design firm Studio-gram, after working together on the divine Osteria Oggi.
Studio-gram directors and co-founders Dave Bickmore and Graham Charbonneau looked to Japan for inspiration in realizing the minimalist scheme for Shobosho. “The space adheres to a very simple yet strict material palette, which is in keeping with traditional principals of Japanese aesthetics,” says Bickmore.
Their material of choice is Baltic pine and it’s effectively used throughout the space in both a charred (shobosho directly translates to “fire house”) and natural finish. The latter makes up the majority of the fitout and is particularly striking as booth seating partitioned by operable canvas blinds on the left-hand side of the interior. A bench table running the length of the right side is also in a natural finish, as are the bulkheads, which are treated as custom lightboxes and detailed with a woven textile.
Battens made from natural Baltic pine complete the scheme’s bold expression, creating the appearance of a curious yet welcoming shopfront from the street.
It was important to choose a material with longevity and the ability to remain in pristine condition, since the raw pine is integral to the success of Shobosho’s concept and overall aesthetic. Bickmore and Charbonneau agreed that Intergrain Ultraclear Exterior was the best finish to protect it from everyday wear and tear, something unavoidable in busy restaurants.
Although the product is specially designed for exterior use, the directors decided to apply it both inside and out. Bickmore and Charbonneau might be known for thinking laterally on their hospitality projects, but this unorthodox application simply reveals Intergrain Ultraclear’s adaptability.
More importantly, it’s indicative of the trust architects and designers have in the brand. As Bickmore explains, “We use Intergrain products almost exclusively in our fitouts and in particular the Ultraclear because it provides a tough, clear and natural finish that doesn’t yellow over time.” For this reason, Studio-gram projects always appear refined and Shobosho promises to look as good in a decade as it does now.
Shobosho by Studio-gram was shortlisted in the Commercial Interior category of the 2017 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards.
For more information: intergrain.com.au 1800 630 285