SEOUL SOUL

315 High St, Northcote

Visited: 7th June 2014

Design: If you have ever seen TRON: Legacy, walking into Seoul Soul is like entering, The End of The Line Club. Standing on the footpath it feels like you have stepped into the year 2020 from a 1984 vision of the future. You expect everyone to be eating capsules instead of real food. Not the case. The hot pink and yellow neon glow, the skeletal cages hanging from the roof and the full frontal glass window all work to create a sci-fi fantasy vision that L. Ron Hubbard would be proud of. Forget about super speed monorail trains and billboard sized LCD screens projecting propaganda films, this is the future right here. If you are going to do glass, go all the way. I found the extended vertical steel handle emphasised the height of the door and surrounding window. It also reflected the caged tubing structures hanging from the roof on the interior. Wether you are 6ft or a child there is somewhere to grab this handle. I like that it creates a visual loop through the glass, a metaphor for eternity. Simple, minimal and effective in gaining your attention. Normally I like a bit of mystery a door conceals to the interior, but this was like, "HERE IT IS, BABY. COME AND LOOK."I loved the reflection on the window when standing on the street. The door had a nice resistance and smooth flow on open and close. 

RELAX THEY'RE OCCUPIED!!!!     

Door resistance: 3

Closure mechanism: Hidden Pivot 

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 48 sec

BRUNSWICK FOODSTORE

29 Weston St, Brunswick

Visited: 16th May 2014

Design: Like a set from a Baz Luhrmann film, the entry to the Brunswick Food store is classic Australiana. The type of entry you would find in Broome or a small town in outback Queensland. There is something about corrugated iron walls that screams,

THIS IS AUSTRALIA!!! You'd better bloody believe it.

This is the look I think they are going for, your classic old country town food store. The white fly screen door ties it all nicely. It had a squeak on the open and close that only comes from a screen door. There was classic bang at the end on the close to allow the staff if they may be out the back on a quiet day, aware someone had just entered. There was a nice spaciousness to the door, it felt generous as you entered. The handle felt comforting in the hand and was easy on the pull open. Despite it being a cold day and this being the only door keeping the cold out, it seemed to do an amazing job for a screen door. Could be different on a windy day, but hey I was surprised. I was a little disappointed I didn't get to use their amazing wooden door that sits behind the screen door. This was permanently open while I was there. It has a rich golden stain to it and small panel windows in the top half that replicate the porch windows. I liked the recycled timber floor and planter boxes with the black country windows. It all created a welcoming feeling of goodness inside, almost like entering a Quaker barn. 

Door resistance: 1

Closure mechanism: Small hydraulic arm

Draft: Medium

Squeak level: 4

Change return time: 1.12 sec

JIMMY'S BAR

82 Vincent St, Daylesford

Visited: 6th May 2014

Design: Ok, now this isn't normal practice for me, to review a door I haven't eaten behind but this was one exception. On a little mid-week winter getaway to the picturesque town of Daylesford with the little lady, I came across this magnificent door handle of Jimmy's Bar. At the time the bar was closed so we didn't have the chance to experience the full eccentric qualities of this door. I must admit I was about to walk away from this but my judgement got the better of me and I could not possibly let this one go unnoticed. The door itself was nothing amazing just a glass panel on a pivot hinge. Yet the combination of the clean glass with the cast forearms with hands lifted it to another level of unique. I have never seen another door handle like it in my life. I am unsure of the significance of the hand gestures in relation to the bar itself. If we were to reference the hand Mudras of Hinduism and Buddhism the first gesture on the left door of the open palm would be known as the ABHAYA MUDRA, (the energy of No Fear) or PATAKA, (flag) in Indian Dance and the second gesture on the right door, (2nd photo detail) would be the GYAN MUDRA (Mudra of knowledge) which is meant to increase memory power and sharpen the brain, also known as the VITARKA MUDRA. Two very powerful symbols for an entrance. The thing I like about these handles is the worn polished surface of the handle on the right from thousands of hands pushing on the arm bringing a beautiful golden quality of the bronze to the surface. This reminds me of the Fontana Del Porcellino, (piglet fountain) the bronze fountain boar I came across in my travels in the bustling market of Mercato Nuovo in Florence. It is believed that if you place a coin in the mouth of the boar and the coin falls into the water you then rub the nose of the boar, you will one day return to Florence. Maybe this is the idea of the owners that by pushing on the forearm upon entering you will return to Jimmy's Bar or you will come away with no fear and a better memory. 

Original!! 

Who knows, either way it makes you want to touch it and on this rainy day it caught my attention even though the place was closed I had to go back and touch it and take a photo. Well done Jimmy!      

Door resistance: ?

Closure mechanism: Pivot

Draft: ?

Squeak level: ?

Change return time: 0 sec

SHORT ROUND

731 High St, Thornbury

Visited: 26th April 2014

Design: Once again the old aluminium black frame comes into play. I do prefer the simple metal panels in the centre to push rather than the L-shaped handles normally attached to these doors. They have kept the doors free of clutter, a beautifully crafted wooden hexagon OPEN and CLOSED sign, a simple CLOSED MONDAYS to the right without all the hours for the rest of the week confusing the view. Lastly, a great little disabled sticker to the bottom right indicating an entrance around the corner. You can't get more minimal than that. I do love the vertical louvers of these doors which appears to be a common theme for this design. The black frame with the blue tiles works really well and also helps to frame the beautiful timber floors and decor colours inside. 

Normally I only like to review the front door but wondering around the corner I came across the back entrance used for the disabled entrance that I couldn't let go unnoticed. The simple grey arch continuing through what I think is called the Triglyph, marries the stained glass panels in the top with the wood panels and the two narrow side windows. The wooden frame surrounding the door, appears to have been sanded back and restored creating a warm feeling of rustic Victorian comfort. I'm not usually a fan of red brick, but in this instance works well with the historical reference to the building. The combination of the modern elements of the steel support railings, natural timber panels and the planter boxes filled with brilliant green herbs, merge effortlessly with the original features and gives a personal touch that would otherwise be just a back entrance.     

Door resistance: 2

Closure mechanism: Hydraulic arm

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 28 sec

Front Door

Back Door

HONG'S IZAKYA RESTAURANT

159 St George's Rd, Northcote

Visited: 18th April 2014

Design:  Well it's another Hong, it's been back to back Hong's the last couple of weeks. Let's get into this one. It's so hard to make an entrance appealing when the shop front sits on a busy city road with endless trucks and cars speeding past. I have found from some doors I have visited on such roads, the only way to bump up a standard aluminium door is to chrome it or in this case. MAKE IT GOLD. 

WOW!!!

What a difference to what would otherwise be an unnoticeable shop front. I am always amazed at things that should not go together, but work really well when they do. In this instance, the textured brown chunky brick. Throw in a hexagonal window to the mix and POW, Chinese temple wall. Amazing! Then combine that with a gold door, Italian 70's style floor tiles and some red lettering and you have an interesting entrance. Nothing really to comment on the door other than its colour. To be honest, I am getting a little sick of these aluminium doors, they are almost like a franchise filling the landscape with ugliness. Don't get me wrong though, I do like this entrance for its kitsch elements and simplicity. I have also got to give it to them for producing something pleasing, with very little to work within an environment that is very uninspiring. 

A major road / on an intersection / in the suburbs. 

Door resistance: 3.5

Closure mechanism: Hydraulic arm

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 1

Change return time: 42 sec

ZHEN HONG

191 Russell St, Melbourne

Visited: 2nd April  2014

Design: To push a glass panel door of this height is impressive. There is something about the slender fragility. The only way I could compare would be if you put the Burj Khalifa on two metal pins and pushed it. I liked the blonde wood framing the tall glass panels. The central lettering of the left door, (maybe done in Helvetica) simply beautiful. Clean details, not too much clutter on the windows and a small visa sticker discreetly placed out of eye view below the handle, all make this a great door to enter. The one stand out feature of this door was the handle. Very unique, as I had not seen this design before. A beautiful long chrome tube that curved off to the left where the mid section extended out, (about the thickness of a small rolling pin) to contain a surface that was textured with a crosshatch pattern with small indented holes placed in vertical strips as though it had been embossed with ball bearings. Then on the top and bottom of this section two polished bands. It felt amazing on the hand to touch.  

Door resistance: 4

Closure mechanism: Hydraulic arm

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 32 sec

MISS CHU

276 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

Visited: 20th March 2014

Design: I visited Miss Chu's on a balmy night which just added to the authentic feel of a Vietnamese street vendor in down town Ho Chi Minh. Despite the lack of a door the design of open air casually blowing in off the street creates a space of comfort and laid back conversation. The single entrance ramp and walls lined with old passport photos work well with the natural timber beams that frame the entrance and divide the front window concealing the eating bench. Once again the lack of door forms a sensation rather than a tactile experience as one enters. I like the fact that from the street you catch a glimpse of the energy inside and even though the interior is exposed, there is still a sense of mystery as to what is down the back behind the long narrow walkway. There appeared to be by-folding doors that went horizontally to the roof. I like the versatility.  

Door resistance: 0

Closure mechanism: Continually open (in summer)

Draft: Maximum

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 1.46 sec