Jardin d'Elena

Location: George & Barrack Street

Program: Hospitality Renovation Design & Installation

When: 2020

Software used: SketchUp

Note. Google Maps. (2022).

Site Location

Near the heart of Sydney CBD, Barrack Street and George Street are two of Sydney's extraordinary streets and have historically been important in the development of Sydney. As part of Sydney's story, I want to bring a small part of them back to life. The international chain Nespresso Boutique is located on the corner and has been transformed into a patisserie for Frenchman, Pierre Herme.

Client Brief

Client: Pierre Hermé

About:

Pastry chef
Chocolatier
Known as ‘the Picasso of pastry’
Designs his creations before creating them
Finds alternative ways to mix sweet and salty
Creates unique sweets with unexpected flavours

Reinvigorate Barrack Street (the public programme) into an inspiring precinct that gathers people together and attracts the wider community.
Redesign ‘Nespresso Boutique’ in the building adjoining the street. This is to be renovated into a patisserie for Pierre Hermé (the private programme)
Barrack Street design and the patisserie design are to connect conceptually.
Design a relaxed and calming space
Design a joyful environment

Concept Development

Outdoor Garden Draft Plan

Patisserie sketch

Outdoor Garden Elevation Sketch

Jardin d’Elena (Elena’s Garden) is an inspired patisserie by Frenchman, Pierre Hermé. The pastry shop offers many of his fantastic desserts with unique flavours, offered in addition to the perfect combination of vision, sound and taste as it leads you to a journey to the desire of your heart.

Materials Board

Materiality - Patisserie

The goal is to add freshness with a modern twist and bring the concept of excitement, happiness, and laughter. The inspiration was taken from a garden-inspired street in Paris, France, I loved the concept of freshness and the design intake of using common materials to create a beautiful and happy environment. I designed with raw and simple materials such as red bricks, artificial flowers, and vintage lamp posts, to visually represent the concept of this project.

I chose to have a circular service counter as it creates more space and is more efficient in terms of quicker checkouts and better customer service. By placing the counter in the center, it gives the opportunity to a large open space, is ideal for high-traffic shops and provides the space for more than one checkout to quicken multiple customer purchases. The double height ceilings make every space feel bigger. It instantly makes the area feel more spacious and luxurious, giving the advantage of being able to accommodate alluring features such as the tromp l'oeil streetscapes and the indoor wall water feature.

Materiality - Garden

The public garden will be located on Barrack Street, beside the new patisserie, Jardin d’ Elena. The street design will incorporate a modern twist on garden-like features and old French streets by creating beautifully constructed flower arches on the entrances of the street, a rain curtain that reflects off each droplet making an eye-catching feature and tall vintage lamp posts that guide you through the street. By having this sensory installation in the street of Sydney makes the outdoor environment feel relaxed, calm, and joyful.