MELBOURNE – Designing a venue that seamlessly transitions from daytime dining to late-night entertainment presents a unique challenge: delivering powerful, consistent sound across multiple environments without compromising architectural design. At Maison Bâtard, that balance has been achieved through a venue-wide audio solution built on Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW®) loudspeakers and implemented by Melbourne-based AV specialists, Zelo Group, the project’s dedicated concept‑to‑install technology partner.
Located in the heart of Melbourne, Maison Bâtard spans four distinct levels, from the main restaurant floors to the intimate basement supper club, Le Club, and the rooftop dining and bar space, La Terrasse, each requiring its own sonic identity. To meet these demands, Zelo Group designed, modelled, engineered and delivered a fully bespoke, high-performance system that allows each space to operate independently or together, delivering a cohesive audio experience throughout the venue, with EAW technology providing the foundation.
“Maison Bâtard is a very large venue for a restaurant, especially in Melbourne, and every level has its own identity,” says Stephen Sokolowski, Design Manager at Zelo Group. “The system was designed so that each floor can operate independently or together. If there’s a performance in the basement club, that audio can be routed throughout the building, or each level can host its own entertainment.”
At the center of the design is EAW’s MKC Series, used extensively for foreground music coverage throughout the venue. “The compact loudspeakers deliver premium sound quality while maintaining a strong value proposition—an important factor for hospitality environments requiring both performance and scalability,” says Sokolowski. “The price point on the MKC is very good, and we’ve been using EAW with this client for many years, so it was a natural progression of design and implementation.”
The basement-level Le Club was conceived as a versatile performance space. “It’s a lush, high-vibe space designed to accommodate a range of performances, from live bands and DJs to cabaret acts and private events,” says Sokolowski. “For example, during the opening, they had opera singers performing throughout the venue, but the system is designed to just as easily accommodate those live band or DJ acts. Every level has its own subwoofer reinforcement, effectively creating multiple performance areas throughout the building.”
Delivering powerful audio while preserving the venue’s elegant interior design was a central challenge. With Lucas Restaurants’ renowned aesthetic, Zelo Group’s design approach and close collaboration with architects was required to carefully integrate technology without compromising architectural vision. According to Sokolowski, “The finishes in Lucas venues are extremely high-end, and the architects generally don’t want to see speakers. Most of the subs are integrated into finishes or hidden behind architectural elements. The speakers themselves are color-matched to the surrounding surfaces, which required physically disassembling them, painting components and reassembling them to achieve a perfect visual match.”
To achieve this level of integration, Zelo Group’s dedicated design and project management teams conducted extensive Building Information Modeling (BIM) and acoustic simulation during the design process. The team spent nearly a year refining the system’s layout before installation began. “We modeled the entire venue in 3D before anything was installed,” adds Sokolowski. “Using EAW’s Resolution software alongside other acoustic modeling tools, we validated speaker placement, quantity and performance. That allowed us to demonstrate to the client how design changes—like relocating a speaker or removing a subwoofer—would affect the overall system.”
In addition to simulation, Zelo Group also conducted real-world listening demonstrations to ensure the chosen loudspeakers aligned with the client’s expectations. “Chris Lucas is very focused on the experience,” says Sokolowski. “The vision is that guests can walk in for breakfast, stay for business meetings, enjoy lunch, and then transition into evening drinks and entertainment. Our role is to support that journey by creating an atmosphere that evolves throughout the day.”
Unlike a traditional contractor model, Zelo Group operates as a specialist hospitality technology partner, working closely with clients from initial concept through installation, commissioning and ongoing support. Their long-term relationship with Lucas Restaurants, spanning more than a decade, reflects this collaborative, lifecycle-driven approach. With EAW loudspeakers providing consistent, high-quality sound across every floor, Maison Bâtard now offers a cohesive and engaging audio environment that complements its sophisticated dining and nightlife offerings reinforcing its position as one of Melbourne’s most distinctive hospitality destinations.