Walking into Baker Bleu’s newest store in Cremorne, what hits you, apart from the tantalising smell, is the delightful juxtaposition between the richness and warmth in the colour of the bread and pastries against the store’s cooler techy grey/silver materiality. This innovative design is the work of IF Architecture, giving a clear nod to Baker Bleu’s highly efficient baking process. Cremorne is the team’s third Baker Bleu design to date, following Hawksburn and Double Bay. Each a slight evolution from the last, using the same foundations with a slightly different dialogue, growing and evolving with the brand. Hawksburn was the first time Baker Bleu engaged architects for a store fitout. And while owners Mike and Mia Russell had a solid functional brief, IF Architecture set about getting to know the brand, understanding the drivers of its products and production, then showing Baker Bleu how good design can represent its ethos for something it does exceptionally well: baking.
While most customers entering Baker Bleu would give little thought to the actual bread/pastry making process (sidetracked by tantalising sights and smells) it was a key focus for IF Architecture, particularly for the Cremorne store: “Where we came in, and actually our partnership since, has been to show them in a design what they're trying to achieve with their baking, what it would look like in 3D form,” explains Iva Foschia, Practice Principal and Lead Architect, IF Architecture. Baker Bleu’s process is highly technology-enabled, affording the business significant efficiency and flexibility. This means while most bakers start at 2 or 3am, Baker Bleu has a more palatable start time of around 6am. “Our design leaned into the emphasis on technology and a streamlined manufacturing process, which would allow for a better outcome for the team. Along with this we also wanted to show that the breadmaking process is ancient, with sourdough and its long fermentation time,” explains Iva. This back storey is all cleverly conveyed in the store’s materiality. Hard industrial materials give a nod to the use of technology in the manufacturing process (ALUSION™ panels on the ceiling, service and coffee counters, and galvanised steel wall panelling) while natural materials on key customer touchpoints (American Oak timber and terrazzo flooring) convey breadmaking’s more ancient processes. It’s the first time Iva has specified ALSUION™ in a design, something that she’s been patiently waiting to do, for many reasons. ALUSION™ is made with up to 100% recycled content, and this creates a nice connection to Baker Bleu’s commitment to recycling and minimising waste in its products. It’s also a great acoustic performer, so is used on the ceiling to soften the acoustics, articulated with an industrial expression of services. Panels of ALUSION™ also offer a great visual representation of the bakery product itself: “We got the ALSUION™ samples in after we’d done the first two Baker Bleu stores, so we thought, ‘well if there’s another Baker Bleu, we must use this because it also looks like the air bubbles inside a load of bread, especially sourdough bread. We thought that was a particularly lovely visual connection, but in a completely different tactility,” recalls Iva.
As they say, customers vote with their feet. The ultimate reward for Iva and her team, and especially Mike and Mia, is how many people walk through the doors. Opening a store in the middle of what is considered Melbourne’s Silicon Valley, it was hard to estimate pedestrian traffic. But opening day, and the weeks that followed, quelled any ripples of anxiety: “The ultimate satisfaction is seeing people in the space. And in the first week they had a couple of thousand people go through. To see that engagement has been thrilling. It wouldn’t mean as much if we had a beautiful space, with no customers. So, that's been lovely.” The good news for Baker Bleu is the feet haven’t stopped crossing the threshold, even on weekends. And word on the street is there’s another store on the design board, albeit more compact than Cremorne. And Iva has already specified ALUSION™ in the palette mix, this time on a vertical elevation, where customers will experience it eye to eye. So, watch this space.
