Code Black Cofee / Zwei Interiors Architecture

Architects: Zwei Interiors Architecture
Year: 2014
Photographs: Michael Kai
Designer: Zwei Interiors Architecture
Graphic Design: Salmon Design
City: North Melbourne
Country: Australia

Code Black Coffee by Zwei Interiors Architecture in North Melbourne transforms a former mechanics workshop into a warm, inviting space for Joseph Haddad’s Melbourne coffee empire. The design creates a “home away from home” with natural light and residential touches. A central double-height seating area encourages relaxation and work, subtly nodding to Code Black Coffee in Brunswick. A timber-slatted mezzanine adds a long-stay work zone, while playful graphics and a casual tone enhance the welcoming atmosphere.

Code black / zwei interiors architecture

At 119 Howard, the space is envisioned as a stage for life’s daily interactions.

Originally a mechanic shop, 119 Howard St in North Melbourne marks the next chapter in Joseph Haddad’s Melbourne coffee empire. The design features a warm interplay of natural light and existing spatial elements, incorporating residential references to create a welcoming “home away from home” atmosphere.

Code Black Coffee invites customers to relax, linger, and work by offering a seating area that wraps around a newly added, centrally positioned double-height structure.

The coffee machine is prominently placed at the front, with seating nooks tucked around the counter, offering views of the rear roaster for those deeper in the space—a nod to the more coffee-centric Code Black Coffee in Brunswick. The seating is wide and comfortable, with a central round dining table positioned prominently at the front. A new timber-slatted mezzanine above the counter is designed to open up as a long-stay work zone and weekend overflow area.

The café’s playful and irreverent graphic design, extending even to the menu, creates an atmosphere that feels like having breakfast at a quirky friend’s house.