As Sushi Hub’s flagship store in Melbourne’s CBD—and the first to introduce a sushi train—it was essential for the design to make a strong visual impact on the street front. The client envisioned a warm and inviting yet highly functional space, catering to a diverse range of customers.
Project Name: Sushi Hub Swanston
Studio Name: Rptecture Architects
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Status: Built
Image Credits: Fraser Marsden Photography
The store needed to accommodate quick takeaways, short dine-in visits, and extended stays for those enjoying the sushi train. Additionally, as the brand expanded from Sydney, the design had to establish Sushi Hub’s identity in the Melbourne market, effectively communicating its purpose and brand values through both the shopfront and interior. To create a cohesive and striking aesthetic, the design draws exclusively from Sushi Hub’s branding colours — black, white, and red —balanced with natural warm timber.
These colours are thoughtfully integrated through diverse materials and textures, enhancing depth and visual interest. A standout feature is the sculptural ceiling installation, which incorporates integrated lighting to guide customers through the space while enhancing the store’s design language. Reflective cladding at the rear amplifies this feature, creating a dynamic interplay of light and form.
The ceiling design, inspired by the logo, also influenced the custom-made timber furniture, ensuring cohesive branding and spatial design. A particularly unique branding element is the oversized logo at the store’s entrance, filled with classic fish-shaped soy sauce bottles. Created in collaboration with Principle Design, this playful installation offers a fresh, modern take on traditional sushi culture. A warm and inviting atmosphere is created through the use of raw, earthy materials such as timber and concrete.
Utilising mirrors as an innovative lighting strategy the interior space is made to feel expansive. A timber ceiling feature with integrated lighting, draws the eye into the store and towards the sushi train. Recycled sake bottles have been creatively utilised within the lighting strategy. Given the store’s prime location near Flinders Street Station and the heavy foot traffic along Swanston Street, the biggest challenge was capturing attention in a fleeting moment. This was achieved through a bold, cohesive design strategy and an innovative lighting approach.
The shopfront is framed in warm, inviting light, immediately drawing in passersby, while the striking ceiling installation extends through the length of the space, leading customers further inside. Achieving the right balance in the ceiling feature was crucial in delivering a ‘wow’ factor without overwhelming the space. The result is a visually compelling, brand-driven environment that introduces Sushi Hub to Melbourne in a bold and memorable way.
