Wah Wah Gee is the latest addition to Geelong’s thriving food scene. Located at the end of Cunningham Pier and boasting spectacular waterfront views of the Geelong Harbour and Foreshore, Wah Wah Gee adds an Asian flavour to the transformation of the Waterfront into a spectacular place to eat, play and stay in Geelong.
The EMC Group, Geelong’s largest hospitality company enlisted Studio Equator’s expertise to re-invent ‘Baveras’, the group’s existing 280 seater casual fine dining restaurant. The objective was to reinvigorate the once stark white walled Baveras into a fresh, funky and fun casual eatery that epitomised the best of Melbourne restaurant culture adding a playful Asian-fusion inspired menu without the big city prices.
Studio Equator had to come up with a new interior and brand experience to match this offering, the word ‘Wah Wah’ was inspired by the old Wah-Wah guitars, whilst ‘Gee’ was taken from the name Geelong itself, perfectly capturing the fun & funky atmosphere that was to set the tone for this waterside eatery.
After looking at the client’s expectations, the budget and the building itself, Studio Equator decided to take a closer look at the existing venue to see what materials could be reused. Most of the structural nature of the venue was reused, as the architecture itself was quite eclectic. By fusing the existing textural ceiling, bulkheads, along with inspiration from various pop arts, Boho beach style, and pastel colours of the 80s mixed with the funky sense of the pier itself, Wah Wah Gee was born.
To achieve the same impact as using bold colours, pastels were used in large blocks to emphasize particular areas and structural features, creating the same impact with a more subdued palette. This immediately transformed the space and added to its fun personality. Blue-green tones were used to evoke the hues of the waterfront, whilst a wide range of textures and subtle shading provided balance to the overall design.
To create both relaxed and refined dining experiences distinct spaces were created through smart furniture choices and intelligent layout. Completing the design, iconic rock and pop illustrations (featuring famous musicians such as Bob Marley & Lenny Kravitz), custom boho style carpets and lighting, industrial furniture and eclectic textural finishes all emphasized the waterfront views.
Ultimately this sophisticated yet subtle design has allowed Studio Equator to create an authentic Asian waterfront dining experience, positioning Wah Wah Gee as the go to eatery in the most picturesque hotspot in Geelong.
