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DOYLES ON THE WHARF

WATSONS BAY, SYDNEY

Doyle’s on the Wharf is a Sydney institution that has been serving seafood since 1855. The site began as a humble outlet where Doyle originally sold his daily catch, then became a fish and chip shop which played a pivotal role in making Watson’s Bay a tourist attraction. The restaurant overlooks a small stretch of sandy beach with small dinghies that dot the shore that stretches to vistas of Sydney’s skyline. 

 

The Redevelopment of Doyles on the wharf is a contemporary realisation of the Watsons Bay psychology that is a celebration of lifestyle and location while embodying the Doyles heritage to create a venue that is uniquely Sydney. The functionality of the building has been broken up to offer a street-facing takeaway kiosk, while the rear water-facing side of the venue offers in house dining and bar facilities.

 

 

The iconic wharf location has been emphasised in the architecture of the building, with the raw exposed elements of the reclaimed rough sawn eucalyptus blackbutt revealing the simple structure of the building, creating a sense of occasion that evokes the notion of wood weathered by the unrelenting forces of the sea. The orientation of the building and the ceilings rise to the north to capture the coveted northern aspect and Sydney Harbour Views.

It was important that the interior of the venue did not compete for attention with the views, but provided a relaxing harmony for patrons to enjoy.  This has been achieved by using a palette of materials and colours inspired by the natural landscape of the Watsons Bay environment that provide an unpretentious refinement, a feeling of serenity intimacy.

 

Project

Doyles on the Wharf

Kiosk & Dine in Restaurant & Bar 

Job Type

Complete site redeveloment

Year      

2019

Location      

Military Rd, Watsons Bay NSW 2030

Software

AutoCAD

SketchUp

Vray

Enscape

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe InDesign

VISUALISATION HIGHLIGHTS

DOYLES ON THE WHARF

DOCUMENTATION

DOYLES ON THE WHARF

Documentation Cover Page

SITE LOCATION

FISHERMANS WHARF, MILITARY RD, WATSONS BAY

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Watsons Bay, a harbor-side and ocean side eastern suburb of Sydney, is located 11 km north-east of the Sydney CBD, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra. Watsons Bay sits on the end of the South Head peninsula.

 

The eastern side of Watsons Bay is dominated by a rugged coastal landscape at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. Rugged exposed sandstone ridges and cliffs plunge into the Tasman Sea, which is in contrast to the protected bays and sheltered beaches on the western side of the peninsula.

 

Map images via Google Earth

CONCEPT

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

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The air smells like the sea, the morning light dances across Fisherman’s Wharf. Watsons Bay is symbolic of the Sydney way of life. The design concept for Doyles on the Wharf explores the fusion of Watsons Bay's natural beauty and iconic harbourside setting, by blurring the boundaries between the internal and external functionality and design simplicity.

MOOD BOARD

ELEMENTS & BRAND CULTURE

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CONCEPT BOARD

LIFESTYLE & BLURRING BOUNDARIES

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MATERIALITY

INSPIRED BY THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE

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Zebex Grey Translucent Curtain

Supplied by:

Warwick Fabrics

Scoop neutral leather

Supplied by:

Skheme

Cosmo aqua linen seat fabric

Supplied by:

Saigon Fabrics

Teak plywood planks

Supplied by:

Plymaster

Polished Zion Soapstone 

Supplied by:

Earp Bros

Ceppo Polished fauz Stone

Supplied by:

Skheme

The prevalent use of timbers enhances the character of the wharf location, while also providing texture and soft repetition to elongate the space. The timber on the walls, ceilings and decorative overhead feature of the bar have been painted in low contrast whites, blues and greens to mimic the muted Australian colours of the surrounding environment. The vibrant teal fabric  on the cushions of the Zon armchairs creates pops of colour to make the space more visually dynamic, whilst the use of over-sized woven rattan pendant lights which fill the void created by the raked ceiling also provide a beach vibe.

Another interior design feature which connects the built environment to the natural is the large sheer grey curtains covering the ceiling and windows above the booth seating, specifically chosen to capture the movement of the northeasterly summer sea breeze. The motion of the wind through the sheer curtains will capture the atmosphere of summer winds, and the slow back and forth motion provides a calming repetition.

BRANDING

LOCATION & BRAND HISTORY

A contemporary refresh of the Doyles branding coincides with the relaunch of the venue. The branding drew on the rich fishing history of the Doyles brand and intends to portray the carefree nature of a child fishing with their legs hanging over the edge, which is a direct reference back to the wharf location.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

BUILDING ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

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Experimenting with curves so the roof line reflects the motion of the waves

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Enhancing the duality of the building for dramatic affect. The split roof lines allows sunlight to penetrate into the interior, and easy integration at the front of house for two kiosks. 

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Simplifying the original design and creating overhangs to allow for shading. This design also opens up to the north to maximise views.

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Evolution of the previous design, creating structure to the outside space to blur the boundaries of the building.

CONCEPT SKETCHES

SPATIAL PLANNING

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Spatial configuration

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Bar visualization sketch

Alfresco dining visualization sketch

HAND DRAWN SECTIONS

SECTIONS & AXONOMETRIC

INTERIOR VIGNETTES 

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

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FLOOR PLAN 

DOYLES ON THE WHARF REDEVELOPMENT

JOINERY DETAIL

BAR DETAIL

PERSPECTIVE

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Scoop Sand Proccelain gloss bar tile

Supplied by:

Skheme

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Polished Zion Soapstone bar top

Supplied by:

Earp Bros

Teak plywood planks bar table

Supplied by:

Plymaster

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TOP VIEW

JOINERY DETAIL

FEATURE WALL

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PERSPECTIVE

Venis-Noa-R-Tanzania-Almond-59-6x59-6cm-

Supplied by:

Venis Porcelena

Tanzania Almond timber cladding

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TOP VIEW

The feature bar wall rises from the floor to the ceiling and encapsulates the kitchen is functional yet sculptural. The undulating corresponding waves inspired by the movement of water create overhangs and underhangs which are used as surfaces to place plants and bottles while also allowing accent lighting to provide an extra dimension of motion. The bar feature wall is finished in Tanzanian almond timber cladding which adds a soft tactile surface that becomes a unifying element between the built and natural environments

BEFORE IMAGES

BUILDING & INTERIOR

Visualisations

VISUALISATIONS

ARCHITECTURAL & INTERIOR RENDERS

Street facade vignette

Street façade vignette

Takeaway kiosk & shaded waiting area

Takeaway kiosk & shaded waiting area

Takeaway kiosk

Takeaway kiosk

Alfresco dining area & entry

Alfresco dining area & entry

Alfresco dining area

Alfresco dining area

Bar - with overhead feature & dining area

Bar - with overhead feature & dining area

Bar - with overhead feature & dining area

Bar - with overhead feature & dining area

Alfresco & Indoor dining

Alfresco & Indoor dining

 Indoor dining

 Indoor dining

Indoor dining & Bar

Indoor dining & Bar

Alfresco & Indoor dining

Alfresco & Indoor dining

Alfresco & Indoor dining - with overhead bar feature

Alfresco & Indoor dining - with overhead bar feature

Booth seating

Booth seating

Booth seating

Booth seating

Booth seating - night view

Booth seating - night view

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