Ipswich Children’s Library and Melbourne’s Bar Alba have been shortlisted for the 2022 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA).

Shortlisted for the Public Space and Sustainability categories, Ipswich Children’s Library is Australia’s first standalone children’s library. Every aspect of the whimsical space has been designed exclusively for young people, right down to the shelving and furniture heights, interactive activities, hidey holes and reading nooks.

Buchan has worked closely with the Ipswich City Council and local community over many years to realise the City’s $250m CBD redevelopment vision through design.

Shortlisted in the Hospitality Category, Melbourne’s Art Deco meets Mediterranean opulence in Bar Alba. The elegant wine bar channels the old-world European charm of Italy’s enoteche while respecting the site’s heritage. Uniting food, wine and staff through design, the space delivers an all-encompassing sensory experience.

Bar Alba showcases Buchan’s expertise in boutique, intimate hospitality settings and is a synthesis of the team’s creative and practical mastery.

Winners of the 2022 Interior Design Excellence Awards will be announced in November.

Bar Alba Photographer | Tom Blachford
Ipswich Children’s Library Photographer | Mindi Cooke