Abstract: Landing Bakery is a Brisbane hospitality interior achieving 84% embodied carbon reduction through circular design principles. The fit-out uses locally sourced sand-cast concrete, Queensland hoop pine, and repurposed materials including a decommissioned spinnaker sail. Mechanical fixings enable disassembly and reuse. This project demonstrates how sustainable interior architecture can deliver measurable climate action while creating warm, functional commercial spaces.
Figure 1 from left: Landing Bakery Interior
Warm timber communal tables and pigmented sand-cast concrete furnishings define the coastal-inspired hospitality space that achieved 84% embodied carbon reduction. Image: David Chatfield
Figure 2 from left: Landing Bakery Spinnaker Sail Curtain
The decommissioned A2 spinnaker sail reworked as a curtain exemplifies creative material reuse in interior design.Image: David Chatfield
A Working Laboratory for Sustainable Interior Design
Landing Bakery demonstrates how interior architecture can actively contribute to climate action while delivering a refined hospitality experience. Designed by Five Mile Radius with Matthew Reynolds, this Brisbane bayside venue tests circular and renewable design under real commercial conditions. The project proves that sustainable interior design is not an overlay but the conceptual foundation of exceptional spaces.
The interior fit-out achieved an 84 percent reduction in embodied carbon compared to typical hospitality projects. Using 1.7 tonnes of recycled and locally sourced materials, the project achieved a net saving of 1.26 tonnes CO₂e, making it carbon-negative in its construction phase.
Material Sourcing as the Starting Point
The design process at Landing Bakery began with material identification before any aesthetic decisions were finalised. Circularity shaped every project decision from day one, establishing material selection, detailing, and construction planning as the driving forces.
The Bayside Material Palette
The coastal context primarily informed the project through material language rather than overt spatial referencing. The front counter stands as the clearest example—cast using sand sourced from a quarry across the bay, pigmented with oxide to echo the iron-rich cliffs adjacent to the site.
The interior palette features:
— Sand-cast concrete formed with local sand, reflecting the peninsula’s red cliffs
— Queensland-grown hoop pine, a renewable local timber resource
— A decommissioned A2 spinnaker sail, reworked as a curtain
— Factory deadstock plywood from the 1990s, repurposed for seating
— Salvaged steel fire pipe from commercial fit-outs, refinished for reuse
— Recycled brush box timber from the client’s own stock, integrated into external seating
Local Supply Chains and Active Salvage
The design team mapped the region’s supply chains and identified active salvage streams before any drawing began. Relationships were established with local businesses and producers involved in material recovery. Over half of the materials were recycled from local demolition, surplus stock, or waste streams, with most remaining materials sourced from local renewable sources.
Circular Design Principles in Action
Modularity and Reversibility
Detailing throughout the interior prioritises modularity and reversibility. Adhesives and hard-to-separate composite build-ups were avoided wherever possible. Mechanical fixings enable components to be removed, repaired, replaced, or rehomed at end of life.
The concrete counter components were designed around logical modular sizing, avoiding irregular one-off geometry that is difficult to reuse. This approach extends the lifecycle of materials and supports circular economy principles.
Prefabrication and In-House Fabrication
The project’s in-house workshop enabled prototyping and prefabrication, significantly reducing site waste. This tight feedback loop between drawing and making allowed the team to test details one-to-one and make adjustments before finalising anything. Early prototypes regularly revealed practical issues, including impractical detailing or simpler construction logic that delivered the same intent.
This workshop model also generated custom furniture specific to the client’s brand. The Landing Table and Landing Stool, developed from the project, were later formalised into an ongoing furniture range, extending the circular design’s lifecycle beyond the original fit-out.
Carbon Accounting and Environmental Impact
Measurable Carbon Reduction
Project-specific carbon accounting demonstrates the interior’s substantial environmental performance. The fit-out achieved an 84 percent reduction in embodied carbon compared to a standard hospitality fit-out baseline of 1.5 tonnes CO₂e. The material scope achieved a net saving of 1.26 tonnes CO₂e.
Waste Diversion
Through the use of active salvage streams and recycled materials, the project diverted significant quantities of construction waste from landfill. This approach demonstrates how interior design can contribute to waste reduction while maintaining aesthetic and functional quality.
Community Connection and Social Impact
The resulting fit-out functions as an appreciable social harbour within the community. The outdoor gathering space extends the interior into the street, remaining usable outside trading hours.
The owners note that customers have responded positively to the space and appreciate how the project educates visitors about material origins without making sustainability feel heavy-handed. The interior balances contemporary detailing with warmth, durability, and legibility.
Conclusion
Landing Bakery sets a new benchmark for sustainable interior architecture in the hospitality sector. It demonstrates that rigorous material sourcing, circular design principles, and local fabrication can deliver exceptional outcomes without compromising function or experience. The project offers a compelling model for low-carbon, high-impact interior architecture with public benefit.
As a demonstration of what sustainable interior design can achieve, Landing Bakery deserves acknowledgement and applause. It expands awareness of sustainable design possibilities within the intensive commercial fit-out environment.