November marked the official opening of our latest Victorian project, the Protagonist cafe & bar on the forecourt of Arts Centre Melbourne.

Protagonist is the result of a 2018 Cumulus Studio competition winning design proposal which challenged a curated selection of Victorian architecture practices to design a unique and memorable home for the existing ACM cafe.

The new interactive design features an adjustable ‘Kaynemaile’ mesh exterior reminiscent of folding theatre curtains. In the morning, the curtain is raised to the desired form (fully open in summer, partially closed in inclement weather or for private events) and is a visible, welcoming symbol that it is open from afar. At night, the curtains are lowered and locked to create a secure compound. The lowered curtain creates a veil which can be used for art projection, marketing and branding of upcoming ACM events, and lighting to activate the precinct at night.

Working with the ACM team has been an amazing experience for our growing practice in Victoria and the opportunity to introduce a new physical addition to Roy Grounds’ iconic Arts Centre/NGV precinct is something we can be extremely proud of.

Protagonist cafe & bar is open Monday – Friday 7 am until late and Saturday – Sunday 9 am until late.