Prefecture 48

Japanese-inspired dining precinct revitalising a Victorian warehouse.

Six layered venues reimagine a Victorian warehouse, uniting Japanese craft, operational efficiency and a cohesive narrative, with a courtyard axis and moody materiality enhancing comfort and service.

Bates Smart's Prefecture 48 reimagines the Victorian-era Foley Brothers warehouse as a tightly orchestrated dining precinct. The brief: stack six distinct venues within a protected shell, preserve character and enable efficient service. A lucid plan leads from the arched cartway to an activated courtyard, establishing clear arrival and movement. A narrative drawn from Japan's 47 prefectures unifies the venues while allowing distinct atmospheres and operational rhythms.

Insertions are calibrated, not showy. Ibushi's smoke-evoking textures offset Dear Florence's dusted whites; Garaku stages theatre with a leathered stone bar; Omakase and Five share back-to-back kitchens to streamline prep and reduce waste; Whisky Thief forms a double-height, copper-clad focal point. Heritage brick, timber and steel are retained, complemented by shou sugi ban cladding. The stair and glass lift are integrated as Studio Ongarato's Floating World art threads identity across levels.

Judges praised the elegant balance between heritage and Japanese-inspired interventions, the judicious restraint of the insertions, and the courtyard's anchoring role. As adaptive reuse with operational clarity, Prefecture 48 energises Sydney's western CBD.

The judges said: “Beautiful balance between historic building and Japanese aesthetic.”