New interiors from around Australia

In 2019, Japanese luxury car brand Lexus’s presence at the Melbourne Cup Carnival evolved into Landmark by Lexus, a three-storey pavilion that invited guests to experience the company’s commitment to design and innovation. A week-long hospitality program paid homage to Australian design, underpinned by the Japanese value of omotenashi, meaning to wholeheartedly look after and anticipate guests’ needs. Design collaborators included architect Koichi Takada, who designed a bamboo, torii-like structure to envelop the Lexus RV hybrid as well as a voluminous ceiling installation in the dining room that was inspired by paperbark trees; and sustainable artist Joost Bakker, who created centrepieces from Australian native plants and biodegradable products. The ninety-seat restaurant – the largest seated dining room ever to have been hosted in a Birdcage pavilion – was directed by chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett. “The Lexus philosophy is based on Japanese culture and heritage, and often sees contradictory elements in harmony and reaching a delicate balance, as it is here,” Lexus International president Yoshihiro Sawa said while in Melbourne for Landmark by Lexus.

Photography — Sharyn Cairns Koichi Takada Architects — koichitakada.com