Restaurant Melba | APPAREIL architecture

Québec / Canada / 2023

18
18 Love 1,980 Visits Published

Chefs Alexandra Roy, Charles Provencher-Proulx, Guillaume Saint-Pierre have joined together to open Melba; a new restaurant in the Saint-Sauveur district of Quebec City. Wanting the decor to reflect their rich and subtle cuisine, they entrusted the project to Appareil Architecture.


This is not the first collaboration between Guillaume St-Pierre and Appareil Architecture, who designed restaurant Battuto for the chef in 2017. "It's interesting to meet again and see how we have each evolved. Appareil's experience helped create something unique. Melba’s design is magnificent, I wouldn't change a thing," shares St-Pierre.


Melba’s monochrome façade exhibits simplicity and refinement in this working-class neighborhood, which is in the process of a gentle transformation itself. Special attention was paid to the exterior lighting of the restaurant, since it operates exclusively in the low-light of the evenings. The façade is illuminated by a series of globes, making the restaurant visible from a distance on both its cross streets, Saint-Vallier and Renaud, as well as the adjacent park.


Art Deco: Revisited


As you enter the restaurant, its austere exterior melts away to reveal a combination of warm, gourmet colours and thin, straight lines that recall the brittle edges of Melba toast. "We were inspired by the yellow and plum colour palette of the old French bistros. We also envisioned an Art Deco-inspired space," explains Kim Pariseau, architect and founder of Appareil Architecture.


Melba’s central island features a porcelain body with pronounced burgundy veins, as well as copper-colored edges and legs, contributing to the luxurious character of the restaurant’s Art Deco inspiration. The ornamentation nevertheless remains focused and contemporary, with rich forms, repetitive lines on the moldings, curved benches and layered chandeliers. The richness of the design is expressed through the veining of the ash used for the walls, the semi-octagonal shape of the central island, the shine of the porcelain, the angled niche of the bar. This beauty extends beyond mere sight, proving equally delightful to the touch by offering textured leather and velvet seats, and smooth, soft ceramic accents. Appareil Architecture creates a comforting atmosphere where the surrounding materials contribute to the experience.


Criterium's graphic design, Studio Botte's and Jacques et Anna's lighting fixtures that emphasize curves, as well as the stools and round tables soften the straight lines of the space and its furniture. The interior design harmonizes with the restaurant’s signature dishes, which offer a delicate and elegant cuisine.

A Small Space with Multiple Atmospheres


Appareil created the restaurant within the space’s existing structure, allowing it to naturally delineate four different sections: an area of classic tables, a bar, a central island, and a long bench which hosts five tables, including two large round ones.


"We wanted round tables; for us, this represents the spirit of sharing. We get many requests from customers who want to sit at the round tables or the central island. The island is really the main attraction of the space" says Alexandra Roy, chef and co-owner of Melba.


This central island overlooks the rest of the restaurant, creating a very festive atmosphere. With its integrated wine bath, it offers the ideal place for aperitifs, practically stealing the show from the bar.


The kitchen, conceived by the Appareil team as an extension of the dining room, blends into the space while standing out with its façade of wood and frosted glass. A wide, central opening in the wall frames the cooks, allowing them to be in visual contact with their guests while maintaining a form of intimacy. The wooden materiality of the ash used for the structure contributes to the lively character of the restaurant, its warmth balancing the coldness of the metal used in the kitchen.


This small, 36-seat restaurant shines due to the softness of its materials, its pleasant comfort, and the spaciousness of its different sections. With Melba, Appareil Architecture offers a warm and refined experience, balancing between French inspirations and Quebec flavors.


[FR]


Les chefs Alexandra Roy, Charles Provencher-Proulx et Guillaume Saint-Pierre ont uni leurs talents pour inaugurer Melba, un nouveau restaurant situé dans le quartier Saint-Sauveur à Québec. Désirant que la décoration soit à la hauteur de leur cuisine riche et subtile, ils ont confié la conception à Appareil Architecture.


En entrant dans le restaurant, on découvre un mélange de couleurs chaudes et gourmandes, ainsi que des lignes fines et droites évoquant les bords croquants du pain Melba. Inspiré par les bistros français et l’Art Déco, Melba présente une île centrale en porcelaine avec des veines bordeaux prononcées, des bords et des pieds couleur cuivre, ajoutant au caractère luxueux du design. Les ornements restent contemporains, avec des formes riches, des lignes répétitives, des bancs incurvés et des lustres superposés. La richesse du design se manifeste à travers les veines du frêne utilisé pour les murs, la forme semi-octogonale de l'île centrale, l'éclat de la porcelaine et la niche angulaire du bar. Les sièges en cuir texturé et en velours, ainsi que les accents en céramique lisse, offrent une expérience tactile agréable.


Appareil a conçu le restaurant en respectant la structure existante, créant ainsi quatre sections distinctes : une zone de tables classiques, un bar, une île centrale et un long banc avec cinq tables, dont deux grandes rondes. L’île centrale, avec son bain de vin intégré, offre une ambiance festive idéale pour les apéritifs. La cuisine, pensée comme une extension de la salle à manger, se fond dans l’espace tout en se distinguant par sa façade en bois et en verre dépoli. Une large ouverture centrale permet aux cuisiniers de rester en contact visuel avec les clients tout en conservant une certaine intimité.


La façade monochrome de Melba, simple et raffinée, s’intègre parfaitement dans ce quartier ouvrier en transformation. L’éclairage extérieur a été particulièrement soigné, avec une série de globes illuminant la façade, rendant le restaurant visible de loin.


 


APPAREIL Architecture would like to thank its collaborators on this project:


Contractor: Groupe Habitat
Woodwork: Mobili
Lighting: Studio Botté and Jacques & Anna Graphic Design: Criterium
Photography: Félix Michaud

18 users love this project
Comments
    comment
    user
    Enlarge image

    Chefs Alexandra Roy, Charles Provencher-Proulx, Guillaume Saint-Pierre have joined together to open Melba; a new restaurant in the Saint-Sauveur district of Quebec City. Wanting the decor to reflect their rich and subtle cuisine, they entrusted the project to Appareil Architecture. This is not the first collaboration between Guillaume St-Pierre and Appareil Architecture, who designed restaurant Battuto for the chef in 2017. "It's interesting to meet again and see how we have each evolved....

    Project details
    • Year 2023
    • Work finished in 2023
    • Status Completed works
    • Type Restaurants / Interior Design
    Archilovers On Instagram
    Lovers 18 users