54 FOCUS Project
Above Board, Melbourne
TUCKED AWAY IN a graffiti-laden alley above a beer and bottle bar in the Collingwood district of Melbourne, Australia, Above Board offers an unassuming haven of elegance away from the hustle and bustle of the streets outside. Te bar subscribes to an ethos of ‘simplexity’ – the interplay between simplicity and complexity – that extends beyond the drinks menu into the very structure of the bar itself. Above Board is the vision of renowned bartender Hayden Scott Lambert, who, alongside co-founder Manu Potoi, sought to create a bar that strips away distractions, placing hospitality at the forefront. ‘I wanted to design a space that placed guests at the heart of the experience,’ says Lambert. ‘Every decision was made to enhance the flow of service, eliminate inefficiencies, and create an atmosphere where our craft as bartenders could be truly appreciated.’ At the core of Above Board’s design is a central, cockpit- style bar station – an ergonomic showpiece that ensures every necessary tool and ingredient is within reach, allowing staff to serve up to 16 guests seamlessly. Inspired by the precision of a chef’s table, the bar is a stripped-back, highly functional space that serves as the focal point of the guest experience, with minimal distractions. ‘I think of Above Board’s design in two parts, much like a Rolex watch,’ says Lambert. ‘Te bar top is the watch face: elegant, minimal and refined. Beneath it, the bar station is the movement: an intricate, hidden mechanism that allows the experience to function seamlessly, with absolute precision.”
Below Everything about Above Board’s design was built to create a show
Te console is framed by a striking 5m American black walnut bar top, resting on a warm cork-tiled floor sealed with beeswax for both aesthetic appeal and acoustic absorption. Te deep wood grain shifts subtly under changing light to display warm amber tones, while a smoky mirror spanning the wall behind the bar expands the sense of depth without intruding on the space. Custom-made lighting, framed by a white-painted
corrugated metal ceiling, is the finishing touch on the space, reinforcing Above Board’s ethos: every element has purpose, and nothing is superfluous. Beneath the bar’s elegant facade lies a hidden infrastructure designed for peak efficiency. A black Formica console – completely out of sight from guests – houses every tool, ingredient, and appliance within arm’s reach. Soft- touch drawers conceal the mise en place, while essential elements like the ice freezer, glass freezer, dishwasher, and sink are precisely positioned for a fluid, uninterrupted workflow. Even bottles themselves – often a visual centrepiece in many bars – are absent from sight. Instead, Lambert opted for empty and stripped Hibiki whisky bottles as uniform decanters, chosen for both their visual form and their deeper meaning: ‘Hibiki translates to resonance, and that felt right. A great bar experience should resonate beyond the moment, leaving something lasting with the guest.’ For those fortunate enough to sit behind the bar, Above Board’s banquette booths offer a unique vantage point. Wide enough only for two guests each, the custom-built benches with pull-out tables hidden beneath provide a rare behind- the-scenes view, allowing guests to witness the choreography of service up close. ‘Tis feature turns a seat at the bar into a front-row experience,’ Lambert adds. ‘You see the “gears” in motion while still feeling part of the atmosphere.’ Everything about Above Board’s design was built to create a show and, ultimately, an elegant, intimate space where less is more, and where form meets function. Te result is an efficient, innovative cocktail bar that offers a fresh perspective on what minimalism can be in hospitality. Te goal was simply to make a space that worked flawlessly while feeling effortless. Above Board set a new benchmark, and Lambert is ‘proud to see its approach to “simplicity with complexity” and symmetry inspiring a new generation of bars around the world’.
aboveboardbar.com
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