Loretta / Wellington NZ / Parsonson Architects

Loretta, located directly beneath Parsonson Architects studio, is the ‘little sister’ of Floriditas Cafe a few doors down Cuba Street. The space has had several guises since it was built around 1910, including as an arcade to a picture theatre and most recently as a commercial bakery with a small cafe fronting Cuba St.

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The space was stripped out to reveal elements of the original building and to make a connection through to Swan Lane at the rear. New elements have been inserted that contrast the existing textures and materials and complement the natural, earthy food and the Paul Melser earthenware.

Photographed by Jeff Brass, Published with Bowerbird.io

A variety of spatial qualities are achieved through dividing the long narrow space into different zones, with views filtered through steel screens creating a sense of intimacy in a space that can seat up to 120.