Paramart
Retro Australian milk bar meets Tokyo vending machine in Paramount House Hotel’s newest offering, Paramart.
Designed by architect Awa Studio with artwork by Sonny Day, Paramart offers guests at Sydney’s Paramount House Hotel 24-hour convenience, with an elevated selection of snacks and drinks by local restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as a curated range of items to borrow during their stay.
Curved joinery, mirrored surfaces and sprinkle-inspired tiles create an immersive experience.
Tucked into the lobby of the hotel, located in Sydney’s Surry Hills, Paramart is as tiny in size as it is big in charm. The familiar nostalgia of the old-fashioned Aussie milk bar is present in the tiled walls and corner store-style signage, interpreted through an unmistakably contemporary lens, with curved joinery, mirrored surfaces and sprinkle-inspired tiles creating an immersive experience.
“We were inspired by how vending machines are used in Japan to dispense anything from figurines to saké,” says Anna Wu, founder of Awa Studio. “A customised vending machine experience was the perfect solution to offer amenities to guests in a space-saving and convenient way.”
“What started as a nod to vintage milk bars turned into an alien yet familiar convenience store.”
Here, guests will find the likes of A.P Bakery crostini, tiramisu from Cicerone, Gelato Messina chocolates, Parami onigiri and mochi, alongside caviar, pâté, sardines, cheeses from Penny’s Cheese Shop and the Paramartini cocktail, created by Paramount House Hotel and Bar Planet, along with a curated wine fridge. A range of products designed to complement the hotel experience – including a BTWNLNS (Between Lines) reading library, stretch kits by The Calmm, vintage Nintendo Game Boys, chess sets, tarot cards and more – are available to be borrowed during a guest’s stay, accessed through vending-machine-style lockers.
Artist Sonny Day’s creative direction lends Paramart a playful edge, with hand-painted details and custom iconography, and a laser-cut lightbox designed by Sydney-based object and fabrication studio Domus Vim illuminates the space. “What started as a nod to vintage milk bars turned into an alien yet familiar convenience store,” says Day. “We wanted the space to be an extension of the art I’ve created around the hotel. The imagery for Paramart guides and grabs guests’ attention; little glyphs and mascots are ever-present, sharing Paramart’s offerings and hopefully evoking a smile.”
Architecture by Awa Studio. Artwork by Sonny Day.
