Description:

Based in Hamilton Waikato, Grey Roasting Co has made a name for itself producing premium coffee beans, talented barista champions and award-winning latte artists. Every aspect of coffee production is approached and presented with meticulous care and enormous pride; there is a strong sense of whanau amongst the staff, which is infectious and extended to all Grey Roasting Co customers.
Situated within the MADE Markets of Hamilton East, overlooking the tree-lined banks of the Waikato River, Studio 11:11 was initially met with a South facing concrete basement. The challenge was to design a premises which could be as tranquil and serene as its leafy surroundings, whilst providing an interior atmosphere that felt very much a part of the land and the riverbank it occupies.
The approach to interior detailing was twofold – 1) to create the feeling of a gallery, with a subdued and textured material palette, exploiting existing vertical rhythms of concrete block columns which form the backdrop for the artistry of coffee to be curated & showcased; and 2) to create the feeling of a homely and domestic residence, with soft fabrics, custom furniture, designer homeware, intimate lighting, and warm timber offset against satin steel.
The centrepiece of this “residence” is a large Hinuera stone bench which showcases beautiful natural volcanic material from a nearby quarry in Cambridge. The Hinuera stone bench is flanked at each end by warm custom timber cabinetry. At one end open shelving floats from an Ostumigaki plastered wall, and at the other the same warm timber takes the form of a multi-purpose interior partition, providing storage, a work top, frameless glazed door access to the roastery as well as a glazed view to the roastery and its inner workings.
The resulting aesthetic feels modern yet classical, minimal yet rich in materiality, humble yet breathtaking in the sense of calm one feels upon entering the space.
There are no large and bulky benchtop espresso machines which would otherwise provide a barrier between barista andcustomer, Dove has done away with these; rather he has curated equipment which blends into its environment, making way for direct conversation, while at the same time curating equipment so engaging that its very nature creates conversation. This interior goes further to bring people closer together. The client wanted customers to be closer to the coffee roasting and brewing process, a part of the choreography and to feel as if they are guests in the his own home.
Custom counter stools and bench seating have allowed Studio 11:11's touch to reach even further into interior elements, ensuring a holistic and finely detailed spatial quality.
Ultimately the task of Studio 11:11 was to create an interior which helped enhance what is a unique and special café experience, a task which has been immensely rewarding.