Olympus by George Livissianis Interior Architecture

As one of Sydney’s most anticipated restaurant openings in recent years, expectations were high for Olympus, the first opening in a decade from the highly successful Apollo Restaurant Group.

The group is responsible for a couple of dining institutions: its namesake Greek corner hotspot, The Apollo, and chic Japanese izakaya, Cho Cho San. Being set within one of the city’s most anticipated developments, Surry Hills Village, and its ambitious precinct with hopes of dining-destination status, Wunderlich Lane, those expectations rocketed sky-high for Olympus. No wonder the open-air roof is retractable and there’s a 40-year-old bougainvillea at the heart of the circular amphitheatre dining stage anchoring proceedings.

“The brief for Olympus was all about the feeling of the restaurant and the food style, going back to simplicity, abundance and ancient cooking methods.”

An integral part of this success is interior architect George Livissianis, who has worked with the group on all of its restaurants – this being the sixth – giving each a distinctive contemporary scheme focused on tactile materiality with a quiet power, shadowing and elevating the dining experience. Olympus epitomises this ethos and has one of its own, in the words of its mastermind: “Simple in form, minimal in palette, warm in feeling.”

“The brief for Olympus was all about the feeling of the restaurant and the food style – food from the village, eaten together – going back to simplicity, abundance and ancient cooking methods. It’s a dining experience that brings family and friends together, eating as a community in celebration,” says Livissianis. “The food direction was clear from the start, and we tried to create a backdrop that would let this come to life. We wanted a restaurant that was inwardly focused and had a depth of experiences, from the arrival through to the bar, the more nurturing internal dining area and out to the courtyard.”

While there are swathes of stone, there is still refined detail that lends intimacy to the 200-seat diner.

The raw materiality and tonal palette of Olympus are influenced by the ancient ruins of Greece, “from the stone selection to the tone of the render, the imperfect concrete and the rockery at the base of the tree,” says Livissianis. “We understand these ancient monuments for their striking geometry but not their decorative intent. We experience the degraded, worn and textured surfaces, the desaturation of colour, and this texture and tone is something I wanted to interpret here, not in a kitsch ‘Let’s build a temple for the gods’ way.’ It’s more about capturing the feeling and spirit of these spaces.”

Travertine, cobblestone pavers and plaster and bagged brick-rendered walls set Olympus’s style foundations. Spotted gum tables and American walnut chairs reflect the solid nature of the material palette. While there are swathes of stone, there is still refined detail that lends intimacy to the 200-seat diner, whether it’s the steel service stations topped with custom azure-blue Dinosaur Designs water jugs, tables with bases formed by glass bricks by Tom Fereday for Eco Outdoor or the artful, maker-focused lighting choices from Annie Paxton, Volker Haug Studio and Ben Mazey.

“The power of the tree – people are connected to it in an almost spiritual way. It’s very special.”

This intriguing mix of detail is an element that drives Livissianis’s overall design philosophy. “All of our projects are an exploration and experimentation in trying to get something honest and authentic out of a space that is typically new – we tend to play with textures and the imperfect to balance out the newness of everything,” he says. “I also like to rethink the use of materials such as FRP [fibreglass reinforced polymer] panels that typically are used for coastal paths, and here they line the ceilings, or the aluminium plate ceiling, as an interpretation of the classic pergola.”

The classic pergola takes on a forum-like atmosphere reminiscent of the terraced amphitheatres of Ancient Greece, with concentric ribbons of dining spots centring on the magnificent 40-year-old bougainvillea at the heart of Olympus. For Livissianis, its presence has been the most surprising element of the project. “The power of the tree – people are connected to it in an almost spiritual way. It’s very special, and we have Daniel Baffsky [of 360 Degrees Landscape Architects] to thank for his perseverance and ability in recognising that this was meant to be.”

“Of course you learn from your experiences, but, ultimately, you also need to lock away the past ideas so that you don’t repeat yourself.”

With such an impressive track record, this longtime dining design partnership remains steadfastly ambitious. “I think working with Jonathan [Barthelmess, chef and owner of the Apollo Restaurant Group] so closely over the years means our dialogue is simple, clear, honest and, most importantly, trusting,” says Livissianis. “Of course, you learn from your experiences, but, ultimately, you also need to lock away the past ideas so that you don’t repeat yourself. I hope Olympus is a great addition – that it can be enjoyed and builds on representing our proud Greek heritage.”

Interior design by George Livissianis Interior Architecture. Landscape design by 360 Degrees Landscape Architects. Stone by Artedomus. Artwork by Tracey Deep.