Hugo’s Bistro

Installer: Giacon Terrazzo

The fourth Auckland eatery for husband and wife team Joost and Clare van den Berg, Hugo’s Bistro was designed by Clare herself in collaboration with Cheshire Architects using a restrained palette of four colours – forest green, blush, brass and grey – introduced in contrasting textures, from corduroy and New Zealand cedar to a beautiful terrazzo floor created by ARDEX using PC-T polished concrete in white with colour and aggregate mixed in.

Winner of the Hospitality category in the Design Institute of New Zealand’s Best Design Awards 2017 the design of the rustic yet elegant interior was praised by the judges as “An excellent planning solution that articulates the different uses and needs of the spaces through the well-resolved detailing and joinery. The restrained palette is consistent throughout and, combined with excellent lighting, invites one to join in.”

The refit took almost a year and involved gutting the space and replacing all services and adding new steel-framed front windows and doors. Rounded oak furniture with green corduroy upholstery and a green marble bar are juxtaposed by a wall of cedar shiplap on one side and another plastered using Marmorino, an Italian plaster finish made from lime and marble dust, tinted pink. Clare decided on a terrazzo floor after seeing the floor of Amano Restaurant, a previous ARDEX project in Auckland.

When it came time to lay the stunning terrazzo floor, applicator Andrew Giacon of Giacon Terrazzo encountered problems as the concrete slabs on the floor of the historic building were suffering from moisture problems and construction joint issues. ARDEX offered on-site technical support and all issues were soon resolved using ARDEX crack treatment systems and moisture control systems.

The all-day bistro in Shortland Street opened in June, 2017, and has proved a hit with customers looking for a relaxed European style dining experience.