the gas project

‘Eat Up’ is something we all probably heard while growing up, normally followed by something like ‘or you won’t get pudding’. The fault normally fell at the feet of your mother’s over-cooked Brussel sprouts, or in my case it was mum’s boiled potatoes. Thankfully Al Brown’s new book (which we designed) Eat Up doesn’t include tips on how to ruin good vegetables, but quite the opposite. Humble vegetables and meat cuts are treated like Foie Gras — there are no lesser ingredients in this book. Recipes and writing by Al Brown and Hayden Scott, photos by Josh Griggs, cover by Geoffrey Notman, and a bonus bach and crib poster in the back by Lisa Moes. Eat it up.

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No 7 Balmac is a cafe / restaurant on Maori Hill in Dunedin. For a number of years it’s been faithfully serving locals and visitors with fresh flavours from ingredients largely grown in their own garden. After a recent interior upgrade it was felt the old identity could do with a bit of a refresh too. This was one of those surprise commissions where we had no idea when starting the project just what an amazing place this is, peopled with very passionate, skilled folks in a corner of Dunedin we’d never explored. We worked up a new identity focussed on applewood (which they cook on) and developed new menus, signage, website and postcards. Just go.

This post has been a long time coming. Al Brown’s The Federal Delicatessen opened a few years ago and has been going from strength the strength. Gas worked alongside Al and architect Charlie Nott to bring a little bit of NYC to downtown Auckland. An ongoing pleasure.

Just to prove not all of our clients are high-flying big-city types, we’re working with the owners of the Lauder Pub in Central Otago on an update of their identity. The image is based on an image we found in the archives of two fellas who used to shoot rabbits from a hand cart. As Lauder is located on the Rail Trail, it’s the perfect place to stop off and have a cold, craft brew to wash the dust off.

This is, for all intents and purposes, New Zealand’s first vermouth, created by the ever clever folks at Mt Edward (makers of some pretty choice pinot and riesling too). Inspired by Polish theatre posters and Bowie (RIP), the illustration is by Callum Robertson, art direction and design by Gas. Available at selected cafes, bars and restaurants. Negroni time.

Frasers cafe is in Mt Eden, Auckland, and makes (by many peoples opinion) the best cakes and coffee in the city. What they don’t do is update their interiors much, it being 18 years since the space was given any sort of love. We were approached, along with Charlie at Nott Architects (together as Two Right Group) to update the space after the building had been strengthened. As well as making the space more luxe, we created a new logo, website and menu design, as well as supplying some tasty props for the shelves, including an early Viner racing bike.

Mr Go’s had been opened for just 3 months before an earthquake made the building unsafe. But in that short time it had created quite a following. Now open again, they’re back serving Bao buns, craft beer and cocktails. Named after an early Chinese market gardener in Wellington, Gas were called early on to develop the brand, creating a suite of logos, website, signage, posters and an unhealthy craving for the Kung-pao cauliflower. Welcome back Mr Go.

Gas, along with Nott Architects, working under the Two Right moniker, created the first Auckland presence for L’affare. Housed on a back street in Newmarket in an old industrial space, we designed a roastery, cafe and office space based on a Madmen meets Goldfinger theme (we had inherited some mid century furniture from the old CEO). Coffee up!

Aro Cafe is a Wellington institution. Recognised as a highly creative community with a unique mix of students, professionals and goths, the cafe is a hub for the area. To coincide with a new dark interior, evening menu and a couple of Fiona Pardington prints, Gas dug out their black jeans and eye liner, played Cure records and crafted a series of icons for the cafe and associated coffee roasting business. Once you go black, you can’t go back.

We’ve just received these samples of L’affare’s new super premium coffee, in packaging we’d designed late last year. Design by Gas, illustration by the ever-clever Blair Sayer. Robin, fire up the Rocket!