Victor Churchill | Loopcreative

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Victor Churchill | Loopcreative

Information

  • Project Name: Victor Churchill
  • Practice: Loopcreative
  • Products: DeDeCe Sydney , Thonet , DiEmme Creative Solutions , Three by Three , Josper , Meek Bathware , The English Tapware Company
  • Completion year: 2021
  • Gross Built up Area: 250 sqm
  • Project Location: Melbourne
  • Country: Australia
  • Lead Architects/Designer: Rod Faucheux
  • Design Team: Rod Faucheux, Jarek Knoppek
  • Clients: Anthony Puharich at Victor Churchill
  • Engineering: B.S.E
  • Contractors: Dominique Gill, Urban Fitouts
  • Photo Credits: Paul Gosney / Elbow Room, Pete Dillon
  • Others: Lighting Design: Greg Dunk at LO-FI, Kitchen Consultant: Matt Trew
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Excerpt: Victor Churchill is a boutique butcher, designed by Loopcreative. It is situated in Melbourne, Australia and is defined by a proud food heritage, evocative design and detailed craftsmanship.

Project Description

[Text as submitted by the Architects] A copper sausage-linked handle adorns the green door to Victor Churchill’s first Melbourne flagship. This bold, characterful entrance sets the pace for the rich experience within. Recently opened on Armadale’s prestigious High Street on the site of a former bank, this is a butcher like no other – defined by a proud food heritage, evocative design and detailed craftsmanship.

© Pete Dillon
© Pete Dillon

“I first met with Anthony Puharich to discuss Victor Churchill Melbourne in early 2020. We spoke at length about family, quality, craftsmanship, tradition, heritage and authenticity; as well as the importance of legacy.”

– Rod Facheux, director, loopcreative

 Informed by this conversation, and a closely collaborative partnership with Anthony, we designed an immersive venue for Victor Churchill’s grand entrance to the Melbourne food scene. Keeping the Puharich legacy in mind, we developed a design language which speaks to the family’s Croatian roots; looking to the gilded churches and Baroque architecture of the country. This is iterated through fine anodised copper arches, forming both a decorative and functional framework of shelving and display, custom fabricated by DiEmme Creative Solutions.

© Pete Dillon

Our response is both visually opulent and operationally robust, featuring dramatic Italian verde marble floors and variegated stone tile from Three by Three, all warmly cast in tailored lighting design by Greg Dunk at LO-FI.  Backlit Himalayan salt bricks emit a diffused flesh-toned glow, painstakingly hand cut to line the walls of the curing room – one of Victor Churchill’s signature features, like the three solid hardwood chopping blocks, which tie this venue to its predecessors. A reverence for tradition and trade is similarly reflected in exemplary equipment behind the counter, including Australia’s first Josper charcoal-fuelled rotisserie, and an original restored Berkel slicer from the 1930s.

“Although this is our first retail experience in Melbourne, we’ve been part of the industry for so long which makes bringing the jewel in our crown – Victor Churchill – to life here even more special. I genuinely love the city, and we’re excited to open our first store for our customers and the locals to enjoy. I’m going all out to give them their own special version of Victor Churchill.” – Anthony Puharich, world-renowned butcher, owner of Victor Churchill.

© Pete Dillon

While respectful of history, it was crucial to both loopcreative and the client that the new venue would provide an entirely unique offering. To this end, bespoke details abound, including copper sausage drawer handles, arched timber joinery at the base of the horseshoe-shaped bar and bullnosed marble benchtops throughout. These unexpected moments elevate not just the dining experience, but service too. Our intent for back-of-house areas is to be as considered, functional, seamless and high quality as any customer-facing space.

© Pete Dillon

This project was conceived and delivered during a universally challenging time – navigating supply chain delays, industry upheaval and the changing limitations of multiple lockdowns. To ensure design integrity from freehand sketch to completion, loopcreative associate Jarek Knoppek moved to Melbourne for the duration of the build. His commitment enabled our Sydney-based studio to have eyes on the ground, and see every detail through to delivery – especially important during complex installations and execution of fine design details.

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