Renovated Spaces: Friends Bakery

WORDS Lindi Brownell Meiring IMAGES Tristan du Plessis

Designer Tristan du Plessis of the award-winning StudioA Signature Projects is behind the look of the newly renovated Friends Bakery in Johannesburg’s Glenhazel.

“Our brief from owners Craig Lazarus and Norman Stein was to turn a long-running family kosher bakery into a contemporary kosher food market and meeting place for the local Jewish community, as well as the broader Johannesburg community,” says Tristan.

Inspired by a trip to Tel Aviv, the design and vibe of the space, especially the finishes and fixtures, aim to be reminiscent of a modern and vibrant seaside city.

“The challenge from a design perspective was to (try) and understand the Kosher regulations, as the store sells both milk products and meat products, meaning we had to create three kitchens and two separate seating spaces and wrap it all together so it felt like one restaurant experience,” explains Tristan.

Displaying the bakery’s beautiful baked goods was, of course, of utmost importance, hence why StudioA approached this element of the design in the same way as they would a high-end retail store, featuring custom armoires with built-in lighting and multiple display levels.

“The store is a comfortable space that has grown the clientele,” says Tristan, “while still making the long-standing friends of the bakery feel right at home.”

We’ve featured a number of Tristan’s projects before, including the Rosebank News Cafe, Hell’s Kitchen in Melville, Fuel at IBM’s headquarters, Dakota Lee Tattoo Parlour in Kramerville, Arque Champagne Crescent in Sandton and Gemelli Cucina Bar in Bryanston.

To view more of StudioA’s work, visit studioa.co.za.