Working within the shell of a former warehouse building, Project 218 Cafe embraces Brunswick’s iconic industrial past to create an immersive hospitality experience. The abandoned warehouse concept preserves the character and history of the original building.

Reclaimed by nature, the program is distinguished by dispersed plantings which make evident the passage of time. The vast footprint of the warehouse is broken into more intimate dining areas through the accumulation of stacked cast concrete forms, fashioned from various sizes of pre-cast drainage sumps into sculptural dividers and planters. Along one wall, a series of metal bars allow the plants to continue to climb. Simultaneously, the metal is designed to gradually rust adding colour and texture across the wall through the process of corrosion. The bench seating develops along the walls and the deep orange colour of the upholstery picks up on the rusted quality.

Creating a truly “Brunswick” dining experience, the design embraces the beauty of imperfection by crafting elements from raw building materials. The cafe service counters are made from layers of poured concrete, which draw on the patterns exposed in floors revealing stains and blemishes from its manufacturing past. A wall of rebar steel is formed to create a mezzanine area with bathrooms tucked below.

Splinter Society Architecture

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