Getting to Know Sans-Arc Studio

Focusing on social connections and sustainability, Sans-Arc Studio creates beautifully sculptural spaces that are as functional as they are delightful

Of all the memorable hospitality projects designed in Australia over the past few years, none resonate quite like Pink Moon Saloon. Located in a narrow alleyway in the heart of Adelaide’s West End, the tiny bar is a delightfully clever study in the reactivation of disused urban space. What’s more, the award-winning design introduced the talent of Sans-Arc Studio to a global audience.

At the time, the emerging practice was based in Adelaide and run by founder Matiya Marovich, but since 2017, Sans-Arc Studio has grown to include a second office in Melbourne and a co-director, Sam Cooper. The two met while studying architecture at the University of South Australia and for Cooper, the decision to partner with Marovich couldn’t have been easier. ‘Our respective skills and aesthetics have always complemented each other,’ he says. ‘So, the choice to work with a close friend who I share similar principles and ideals with was a no-brainer.’

Sans-Arc Studio’s portfolio has continued to expand, with the visually playful yet conceptually rigorous Plaster Fun House, its most recently completed residential project, alongside a number of new bars, cafes and restaurants. In all their work, Marovich and Cooper strive to use sustainable materials and design modern arrangements that can adapt and shift over time.

As Marovich explains, ‘Sam and I understand our agency as designers is to create connections within our cities and we’re always learning about how humans use space. We enjoy finding the balance between functional rationality and beautiful sculptural interiors.’

The duo has achieved just that with Part Time Lover, a light-filled bistro in Adelaide’s CBD. The curved white concrete bar acts as an anchor around which all circulation paths flow, with green-tiled surfaces adding a surprising accent against honey-coloured timber walls. Stem, a restaurant and wine bar also in Adelaide’s West End, finds its visual balance through a mix of robust and delicate materials that lend the cavernous space an industrial aesthetic. The overall effect is softened by several different seating typologies that break up the space, creating cosy nooks for more intimate gatherings and open, relaxed zones for larger groups.

Marovich and Cooper are currently both working from home and concede that the present climate still holds many unknowns. But they’re positive in their outlook and characteristically generous in their approach moving forward. ‘We’re doing what we can to support local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality industry,’ says Cooper. ‘And when things do pick up again, we’ll have to work closely with those hardest hit and help them get back on their feet in whatever way we can.’

Text / Leanne Amodeo