Gelato Messina Australia
Hospitality & Retail Interior Design for Gelato Messina Australia
Vie Studio has partnered with Gelato Messina across multiple Australian locations, delivering hospitality and retail interior design solutions that balance brand consistency with local character. Each project responds to its surrounding context while supporting customer experience, operational functionality and long-term brand growth.
This collection of projects showcases our approach to hospitality design, retail design and spatial storytelling for one of Australia's most recognised dessert brands.
Having started their business in 2002, Gelato Messina has been known for their unique and crafted flavours. Now, with over 40 flavours in rotation and an array of extraordinary cakes, they’re known for producing high-quality goods. Each product requires extensive detail and they pride themselves on working with their own dairy farms and sourcing the best ingredients. In turn, it was imperative that we design their stores in the same way, but always with a unique touch
Project Overview
Client: Gelato Messina Australia
Industry: Hospitality & Retail
Services: Interior Design, Retail Design, Hospitality Design, Spatial Planning
Locations: Australia-wide
Project Types: Gelato Stores, Hospitality Venues, Retail Fitouts
Design Focus: Customer Experience, Brand Identity, Community Connection, Local Context Integration
Messina x Shadow Baking North Adelaide
Two of Australia’s most beloved culinary icons are merging into a single, dreamlike destination. Gelato Messina and Shadow Baking are proud to announce their new dual-concept venue in North Adelaide. Inspired by the fastidious whimsy of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, the space is a living conversation between structure and silk, order and eccentricity.
Designed to feel "suspended in a dream of faded luxury," the interior transcends specific eras. It is a space where the past and present blur, inviting guests into a world that is as much a visual feast as it is a literal one.
The concept, titled “Two Delights,” mirrors the relationship between the two brands—distinctly different spirits united by a shared devotion to craft.
Shadow Baking represents the "structure and form," much like the disciplined symmetry of a grand hotel.
Gelato Messina provides the "cream-spun silk," offering a fantastical, fragile counterpoint.
The venue’s architecture is a love letter to the silver screen, utilising a palette of materials that emphasize both history and imagination:
Tactile Geometry: The use of Bolon flooring introduces a complex web of textures and patterns that run in opposing directions. In a bold architectural move, the flooring continues up the walls within the Shadow Baking area, heightening the space’s "eccentric motif."
The 'Reception' Oven: Just as a grand hotel centers on its lobby, this venue centers on its craft. An illuminated lightbox highlights the oven on display, transforming the heart of the bakery into the "reception" of the hotel.
Vibrant Branding: The Messina side of the venue is anchored by a vibrant orange, the brand's signature hue, providing a warm, high-energy contrast to the more muted "faded luxury" of the surrounding stone and timber.
Cinematic Thresholds: The two spaces are linked by a shared common door, custom-detailed in a timber and steel finish. This feature is a direct homage to the intricate set designs of The Grand Budapest Hotel.
The Art of Utility: In a nod to the film’s meticulous attention to detail, even functional elements are elevated; the Fire Hose Reel (FHR), typically hidden away, is expressed as art, enclosed in a glass cabinet for all to see.
Softened Curves: A recurring curved motif acts as the aesthetic bridge between the two brands, appearing in the joinery, the counter fronts, and the custom-designed seating.
"Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness; it has no taste."
— Charlotte Brontë
This quote serves as the venue’s guiding philosophy. Every corner of the North Adelaide site is designed to be shared, from the "vibrant" social spaces to the "delicate" details that demand a second look. It is an invitation for guests to surrender to service and sensation.
Gelato Messina, Rosebery
Within the client’s interest in mid-century modern architecture and historical buildings, Gelato Messina has just opened their new branch with a new and fresh concept. Located in a historical building where the Nevada Poker Machine was designed and launched, we look into the intricated attention put into the manufactured product, alike the artistry of gelato making.
With the concept The Artistry of Craftsmanship, it emphasizes the brand’s belief in creating the good stuff with good stuff and focuses on the origin of its ingredients
By using a bold and curve edges across the store to create a sense of movement, as well as making sure that each side of the room and decorations have their own function. Combined with modern and contemporary materials, such as wood and marble, as well as textured materials to give a heritage feel to the space.
To enhance the modern and heritage feel to the store, we used a gold touches on the details and using an old-style lamp, combined with the vintage pattern floor. We also used spotlight lamp across the store to create a contrast on the bold and dark vibes of the store and giving a historic and movement effect.
Designing Distinctive Gelato Destinations Across Australia
Every Gelato Messina location is designed around a unique narrative while remaining connected to the brand's core values of craftsmanship, quality and innovation. From heritage-inspired interiors to contemporary hospitality environments, each project demonstrates how thoughtful design can strengthen customer engagement and create memorable retail experiences.
Vie Studio's approach combines hospitality interior design, retail strategy and spatial planning to ensure every location reflects its local context while supporting operational efficiency and long-term brand recognition.
The Story of Gelato Messina
Set in different locations, each store has a unique brief, and they are created with utmost care to ensure that they are functional for staff, whilst pleasing to the eyes of the public. The first consideration with every site is to try and work with its existing conditions. We then unfold its historical context and integrate ourselves into the very essence of each location.
The client’s interest in mid-century modern architecture plays an important part in certain designs of their stores. As a franchise, it’s important for the client to not only have a brand identity, but also a design language that uniquely fits the local demographics. Although there was a set of brand guidelines to follow, we had to cater every site’s design to fit the brand while maintaining relevance to the demographics of that location.
Therefore, research is an important part of our creative process, resulting in a large amount of time dedicated purely to delving into the intricacies and details of every design from concept through to fit-out. We’ve assisted our client in realising their vision by ensuring that their dream concept fits within its locality, selecting materials and fittings that are sustainable and stand the test of time.
To expand its presence across Australia, Gelato Messina has just opened its first store in Highgate, Western Australia. Inspired by the concept of an urban resort—a serene escape amidst bustling streets, this new location offers a unique and relaxing experience. The store's design features a soothing pistachio green color scheme that beautifully complements its innovative and bold flavors, making it a delightful destination for gelato enthusiasts.
Key Design Principles Across Gelato Messina Locations
Across every Gelato Messina project, several design principles remain consistent:
Hospitality design that enhances customer experience
Retail environments that strengthen brand identity
Context-driven design tailored to each location
Durable and sustainable material selections
Efficient customer flow and operational functionality
Spatial storytelling inspired by local history and culture
Memorable destinations that encourage repeat visitation
These principles allow each store to feel unique while remaining recognisably Gelato Messina.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Vie Studio designed multiple Gelato Messina locations across Australia, providing hospitality interior design, retail design and spatial planning services.
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The projects include gelato stores, hospitality venues and retail fitouts designed for Gelato Messina Australia.
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Vie Studio creates hospitality environments that combine brand storytelling, customer experience, operational efficiency and local relevance.
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Location-specific design helps hospitality brands connect with local communities, create memorable customer experiences and maintain authenticity while expanding.
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Services included interior design, hospitality design, retail design, concept development, spatial planning and fitout documentation.
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