Imperial Lane

Local Auckland architecture firm Fearon Hay transformed two former movie theatres – which have remained largely empty following a fire in 1956 – into a richly layered public interior. Now, Imperial Lane is home to new European patisserie and bakery Elske, with Danish-inspired European bakery and patisserie goods from Michelin-star pastry chef Kristina Jensen.

The place is actually a lane-way and so you can also see delivery men wheeling barrows through to Queen street, certainly gives an urban industrial ethos to the cafe. And for the cooler winter months interior and exterior wall mounnted heating is available.

This place blurs the border between interior and exterior and gives a clear invitation to the public. Visitors will find typical Auckland paving stones,urban-scale visual signs, and suspended neon signage in the restaurant.