2021 Eat Drink Design Awards: Best Bar Design

Jury comment

There’s an inevitability to Little Prince Wine, where it’s difficult to imagine this space being designed any differently. Slotted beneath St Kilda’s iconic Prince Hotel off Acland Street, this intimate wine bar effortlessly blends the old and the new. It’s in the detail – the fibreglass champagne tub that greets guests upon arrival, the mirrored specials board, the Art Deco-inspired light fittings – but also the easy blend of beautiful curves with striking textures such as dark tiles, handsome vertical timber panelling and exposed concrete beams. The seamless incorporation of a retail element underlines the harmony of the space, but it’s Little Prince’s capacity to encourage punters to dwell that registered with the jury: the easy transition from natural to artificial light, the interplay between soft and hard textures, the clever sight lines, and the sense of discovery from one space to the next. A clear standout in the bar category.

Design statement

Inspired by a photograph from the 1940s showing a sign at the corner of St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street and Acland Street that read, “wine & spirit store,” the brief was to reintroduce and expand on this offering. By breaking down the physical barriers within the building, the aim was to enable patrons to explore the space in its entirety, allowing a reconnection to the venue and the broader St Kilda area. The design approach built upon existing architectural foundations to create a venue that is both respectful to the past and relevant to today. Unexpected materials present throughout the space create tactile touchpoints for customers. Fibreglass was used to fabricate a sculptural custom “ice bucket” for holding bottles of white and sparkling wines sold by the glass.

Project credits

Design practice: IF Architecture; Project team: Iva Foschia, Tamara Glick, Anouska Milstein, Meagan Brooks

Little Prince Wine is built on the land of the Boon Wurrung people.

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See the whole gallery of images at the Eat Drink Design Awards website.

The 2021 Eat Drink Design Awards are organized by Architecture Media and supported by supporting partners Roca, Latitude and Yal Yal Estate; and presenting partner James Richardson Furniture.

The Eat Drink Design Awards are endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects and the Design Institute of Australia.