One of Melbourne’s iconic W-class trams has been restored and repurposed to create a stylish, new street-side café for Australia’s pre-eminent hospitality training provider, William Angliss Institute. Gray Puksand was engaged to lead the authentic refurbishment of the heritage vehicle to establish a unique café environment that supports live training for the institute’s students who are studying food and beverage, tourism, and hospitality courses.

Locals, city workers and tourists can order barista-made coffee and freshly baked pastries from the café, allowing students to gain invaluable industry experience in food and beverage preparation, customer service, and business operations as they begin their careers in Melbourne’s world-famous coffee and restaurant scene.

Situated in the institute’s courtyard with frontage on La Trobe Street, the tram overlooks the City Circle tracks on which it used to run, adding a rich historical significance to the café for both locals and tourists alike.

The exterior of the tram has been authentically restored to its former glory, while the interior remains respectful to the historic look and feel of the carriage, retaining a number of original features including the bell and driver’s equipment. A minimalist overhead canopy was sensitively designed to reflect the scale and character of the heritage vehicle while providing shelter for dining patrons and protecting the tram car from the weather.

The Tram Café joins many Gray Puksand-designed specialist hospitality training spaces at William Angliss Institute’s Melbourne campus, including the Gelataria and Chocolateria Laboratory, Angliss Restaurant, and Training Bar, and various commercial training kitchens which have been delivered over the nearly 20-year-long collaborative relationship.

The completion of the project also marks an exciting addition to Gray Puksand’s existing national portfolio of cutting-edge vocational education projects, such as The Institute of Applied Technology – Construction and Meadowbank Education Precinct, both for TAFE NSW.