The Joey by CO:AIKA

The reimagining of the Barrenjoey Boatshed as The Joey demonstrates restraint and technical ambition.

CO:AIKA was guided by an understanding of place, legacy and the nuanced requirements of contemporary hospitality, yielding a project that is both a continuation and a recalibration of the near 80-year-old narrative of the site. While the external envelope remains largely intact, the interior design departs from the expected tropes of coastal hospitality. The peninsular position of the site acts as both its greatest asset and a persistent challenge. Acknowledging its inseparable relationship with the surrounding landscape, the team orchestrated a series of spatial experiences that respond to shifting weather and light, embracing and shielding guests from coastal weather conditions. The resulting configuration offers numerous coveted seating positions; lower deck bleachers for winter sun-seekers, an upper deck sheltered from southerly winds, and internal dining room providing moments of comfortable respite. Each distinct zone is calibrated to maximise comfort and connection to the landscape, reinforcing The Joey’s role as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

Substantial forms are delicately balanced with softer touches

What distinguishes The Joey is its material simplicity. Rather than defaulting to nautical motifs, the interior is composed of a mature palette – warm mustard, cork, timber and glazed ceramics – speaking to longevity and comfort. While appearing visually restrained, the design pushes these material applications beyond their traditional boundaries. Bold, monolithic volumes define bars – crafted from custom glazed lavastone – creating anchoring elements within the space and achieving an organic fluidity through highly technical processes. These substantial forms are delicately balanced with softer touches such as buttery leathers, curated art pieces and mid-century-inspired furniture, resulting in an environment that feels simultaneously refined and comfortable. Throughout the space, galvanised steel that is typically relegated to industrial applications is elevated to a signature design element, reinforcing the new distinctive identity.

Heritage constraints guided fundamental planning decisions, with the design team maximising internal dining opportunities while rationalising service areas. By relocating sanitary facilities, storage and waste management away from the main building, a considered arrival sequence establishes flow through the venue.

The design pushes these material applications beyond their traditional boundaries.

Conceived through close collaboration with clients, The Joey aspires to transcend conventional hospitality categorisations, becoming a venue that transitions effortlessly from day to night while appealing equally to locals and destination visitors. CO:AIKA has crafted a robust yet refined study in how architecture can quietly recalibrate the familiar.

Architecture by Canvas Architecture & Design. Interior design by CO:AIKA. Build by Blue Pacific Constructions.