274 Street Café Brings Deep Memories into Interchangeable Concept of Brunch and Cocktail Bar

The newest café in the Kemang area, 274 Street Café, was founded by an owner who has a deep and personal relationship with the city of Melbourne, Australia. The name 274 Street was inspired by a street in Melbourne, to bring back the ambiance of the street and the memories of our client; Melbourne came alive again through the design that we poured into 274 Street Café. Located in the center of Kemang City, 274 Street Café with its interchangeable concept of brunch during the day and a cocktail bar at night, presents a new nuance to the world of food & beverage and interior design in South Jakarta.

During the programming phase of 274 Street Café, the owner was pretty adamant about adapting the sociocultural Melbourne café scene she had experienced, which is a café as a safe place, especially for single visitors. This led us to choose soft colors such as gray as the base color with hints of light yellow and pastel blue to radiate serenity and relaxation.

Before entering the space, visitors will immediately notice a blue door with see-through glasses, the hallmark of 274 Street Café. Upon walking inside, visitors are then greeted by a full-body mirror where they can preserve the moment with their companions. Unlike most coffee shops where the patisserie showcase is generally located behind the cashier's desk or in the bar area, we display the patisserie and light meals on two separate display tables at the center of the room to provide a unique customer experience, allowing visitors to revolve around the display area while selecting the patisserie dish they like without the pressure from the queue or servers. The signature 274's blue is also evident in the dining area, in contrast to the gray banquettes and brown chairs scattered around them. The chairs are built of solid wood and coated with duco paint and laminate, with a weaving touch on the backrest, an art staple from Jepara, Indonesia.

IDS always tries to keep in mind the importance of sustainability and maintenance throughout the design and build process of the 274 Street Café. Selecting the proper materials used on-site is one of the ways to achieve this. When selecting a material, they consider numerous factors, including the material's age, production, and energy use during processing.

During our initial layout planning of the 274 Street Café, designers had difficulties meeting our client’s storage needs given the limited space, especially for raw materials. The open space, in particular, made it hard for designers to hide these rather unpleasant items to be seen in public. This is where the innovative concept of “camouflage” comes in. It is a concept in which we aim to maximize the space as much as possible without sacrificing the aesthetic and continuity of the space.