PICCOLINA SWANSTON
2024
Piccolina Swanston Street is March Studio's second collaboration with Piccolina Gelateria. Located at one of Melbourne's most iconic corners, Lonsdale Street and Swanston Street, Piccolina Swanston reinterprets the traditional milk bar as a utilitarian piece of city infrastructure.
Constructed primarily from a single material, stainless steel, the project pays homage to all things gelati, recalling the cooling elements of the pozzetti and complementing the circular forms of the carapinas. The bluestone flooring extends seamlessly from the pavement into the store, reinforcing the idea that the gelateria is not just a destination but an extension of the public realm. The design is emblazoned with playful and colourful menu boards by Projects of Imagination, introducing a vibrant yet controlled graphic layer to the space.
At its core, the project is an exercise in reduction. By limiting the material palette, the architecture becomes both robust and legible, allowing the rituals of service and the product itself to take centre stage. The stainless steel is folded, bent and detailed to form counters, storage and display, creating a continuous, almost infrastructural interior where joinery dissolves into architecture.
The plan is deliberately compact and efficient, responding to the intensity of its CBD location. Service is fast, direct and highly visible, with the making and serving of gelato presented as a public act. This transparency reinforces the connection between the street and the interior, drawing passersby into the life of the store.
Rather than competing with the city, Piccolina Swanston Street embeds itself within it. It operates as a piece of urban equipment, durable, direct and open, contributing to the ongoing life of the corner while quietly celebrating the craft of gelato.
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GELATERIA
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BUILT | 2024
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WURUNDERI WOI WURRUNG & BUNURONG | MELBOURNE
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BUILT BY | FOUR SEASONS COMMERCIAL INTERIORS
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DAN PRESTON