EQ=LS Inclusive Bar

The brief was provided by Melbourne’s Wharf Hotel owner Anthony Sharp as he was wanting to incorporate key design elements of health, sustainability, interactivity, and culture into the venue. His aim was to allow for the space to feel inclusive and secure for any individual interacting with its surroundings.

The first step involved identifying the key design elements that I wanted to include in the bar, allowing me to explore the options associated with each. Upon researching I decided to select hearing impairment and accessibility support from a health perspective, the idea of energy conservation tying in sustainability, smoothie blender bikes as an interactive activity, and support the idea of social vs binge drinking which is an issue in today’s society.

Following this, each element was individually researched to gather inspiration and knowledge to ensure the space would cater to each element equally. This research led to the incorporation of the following touchpoints:

• Health – hearing impairment

  • Sign language and pointing ordering options at the bars

  • U-shaped booth seating to assist those with hearing difficulties

• Health – accessibility support

  • Disability ramp access

  • Uni-sex disabled bathrooms

• Sustainability – energy conservation

  • Energy Floor: energy collecting dance floor that stores the energy collected from visitors dancing and sends it back to the bar’s electricity system

  • Open air seating

• Culture/interactivity – social vs binge drinking and interactivity

  • Blender bike activity to allow for non-alcoholic drink options to be created as well as a distracting activity from drinking

  • Free water/sink station

  • Uni-sex bathrooms

While my design was mainly focused on the incorporation of these key design elements, I also took into consideration the overall style of the space as well as its atmosphere. Once I finalised my design element choices, I then created an inspiration board for the indoor and outdoor bar spaces that would further aid my design development process. This then led to creating a moodboard that had the aim of providing a fun and stylish atmosphere while having features of glamour and sophistication.

This moodboard then led to my materials board development where I took into consideration the design elements, material durability, and style. The materials consisted of mirrored bar fronts and splashbacks to cater to the hearing impaired as it allowed them to identify if someone was approaching them from behind, navy blue velvet booth finishes for style and comfort, and polished concrete floors for durability.

Moving into my design development, I sketched out the space using a bubble diagram, including each of the chosen touchpoints. This then led to creating a circulation map to ensure that the space was functional and accessible to all audiences. Moving forward, I then created a final floorplan to showcase the entire space and its design elements. Once finalised, I then moved into renaming the venue from Wharf Hotel to EQ=LS as it showcased the inclusive nature of the bar. The name is also short and memorable to those who have attended or passed by the bar, therefore creating a social catch to the venue.