New Digs
A new cafe, Denis the Menace, in Melbourne’s Cremorne, is the third for seasoned proprietor Adam Wilkinson. He engaged Simon Cookes of Duckbuild to prove that “every bit counts when it comes to sustainability”. Natural light from the warehouse ceiling ensures herbs and fruit trees will be happy, as will the 12,000 worms munching on coffee grounds at the back of the space. Loads of recycled timber, including tables made from doors and lighting structures fashioned from old metal gates and pendant lights (sourced by Wilkinson), give the place a friendly rambling feel. A bit like a magical restaurant has appeared in your back garden – right in the middle of the veggie patch. “Though designed thoughtfully, it is also playful – spurred on by the character Denis the Menace. We pictured a boy building with his grandfather, armed with a twig slingshot and good intentions,” says architect Simon Cookes.
106–108 Chestnut Street, Cremorne, Vic
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