Richards & Spence's work is designed to enhance life in Brisbane's inner city. The studio's design of the Great James Block, which includes the award-winning Calile Hotel and a series of hotel Spaces, is an important step towards this goal. Ada Lane, with a quaint corner apartment, is a welcome addition to James Street, a tribute to the Italian dining tradition that thoughtfully reinterprets its context.

The restaurant's owner, three operators and Italian-born Bianca Marchi, who shares the project's namesake, have instilled an authentic approach to cooking. They make the pasta and bread themselves and source the ingredients locally. Richards & Spence seeks to reflect these authentic qualities indoors, embracing form and substance, celebrating and enhancing the spirit of Bianca's charm and sense of community.

Food is designed to be shared, and the 70-person venue emphasizes communal dining Settings on a spacious kitchen. Ascending to the upper level, the 36-seat private dining space creates a quiet oasis that floats above Ada Lane, creating a diverse dining landscape that brings people together.

Bianca's real signature is its saturated, ochre interior, inspired by a set of orange knives. Polished terracotta tiles cover floors, walls, stairs and workbenches, creating a tactile and subtle backdrop that echoes the restaurant's Italian heritage. Richards & Spence's simplified approach balances timeless and long-term usability, applying constraints and design rigor to the restaurant's best details.