Bikes, buttons and brews: Cape Town's all-in-one space

The House of Machines is what happens when you bring together many ideas in a thoughtful and seamless way. It is a collaboration between beer salon Brewers & Union co-owner Brad Armitage, bike builder Drew Madacsi and fashion designer Paul van der Spuy.

The space features a coffee shop that becomes a bar on Thursday and Friday evenings, a clothing section and a glass-walled machine workshop in the back, where motorcyclists can buy retro-styled customised racers, cruisers and more.

‘We wanted a space that offered up the experiences and products that we couldn’t find elsewhere,’ Armitage tells LS:N Global. ‘We were very conscious of the fact, that as a concept, it is hard for the regular punters to define, but once you get in, and have coffee and watch the place unfold, you realise that at its heart, The House of Machines is a space that offers a sense of community for those that appreciate this lifestyle. It’s a very personal selection of elements, yet we feel that neither one overrides the other – they all work together.’

The House of Machines’ hybrid nature means that it caters for bikers and non-bikers, and welcomes anyone in with the smell of Evil Twin coffee and the promise of healthy food.

For more on hybrid spaces, read our Symbiotic Branding macrotrend.