Rata’s interior was designed to reflect the texture and colour of New Zealand while maintaining an elegant and ceremonious dining experience. The space therefore is a considered blend of raw materials as seen throughout the rural landscape (concrete, steel and rough sawn timber) and European furniture and lighting.
It offers a different experience every visit, either at the bar, in the private dining room with its huge backlit bush photo, at the long communal table or tucked away on one of the banquette seats. The visible kitchen allows guests to be privy to chef Josh Emett’s craft. Designed in collaboration with Michelle Freeman.
Formed in 2016, we are a highly experienced interior architecture studio based near Queenstown, New Zealand. We work on a wide range of projects from hospitality and workplace, to select hotels and residences, for both local and international clients.
Our work is a close collaboration with clients, and often undertaken as part of a collective of architects, developers, branding agencies, writers, chefs, craftspeople and artists. We have strategic partnerships with many of these people and work as an ‘and friends’ studio, bringing in specific expertise as needed. We love it when, in the process of creating a space, our work informs, and is informed by multiple disciplines.
A foundation of research and writing is key for all our projects. We find histories and narratives particular to each client, their building, their brand, the urban context, and landscape. Then, working between the conceptual and the operational, the emotive and the pragmatic, we embed these stories in the design in order to make extraordinary spaces.
Our projects share a commitment to a layered and tactile approach in the use of materials, to craftsmanship, and to a level of detail that touches everything from the masterplan to the tablecloth, across all budgets.
Should you wish to explore your project aspirations, we invite you to reach out to our team.