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Masterminds behind Uprising’s Breadfall at Harris Farm Markets

By Annabel Robinson

For most of you, the business Found Design Made may not be ringing any bells. But if you have had the chance to get yourself to the new Harris Farm on Darby Street, then you would have seen the jaw-dropping and marvellous Breadfall towering over the bakery section.

Sydney raised couple, Calista & George are the master minds behind the creation – AND they built the entire thing themselves with their bare hands...impressive right!?

Calista was originally contracting to Harris Farm as an interior designer, when they came to her with an obstacle they were faced with regarding this crazy idea of a Breadfall. They wanted to create a bread-like tower, yet they couldn’t find the right person who could bring their artistic idea to life. It was here that Calista turned around and said, ‘I think my husband and I could give it a crack’! Essentially, it was that Breadfall that initiated their business.

The first Breadfall was installed in the Bondi Westfield Harris Farm Markets where the creation is only a third of the size of the one here in Newcastle. The process for the first Breadfall was super quick- just 6 weeks! With such a tight timeframe, the couple were fitting and screwing piece-by-piece right up until the very last minute of opening day.

Following the Bondi Westfield installation, they were engaged in November 2017 to commence the design process for the Breadfall on Darby St. Despite it being a similar concept, this project was going to be three times the size with differing mechanics and operational needs.

The bread featured on the Bondi Westfield Breadfall is very uniform and consistent. This meant that every nest that held a loaf was the same size and shape. But this time, the team were collaborating with local favourite, Baked Uprising. If you have indulged in their baked goods before you would understand that they are very rustic and organic in the way they bake their bread. They do not force the dough to be a replica of the last each time. This meant they had to make movable components on the nests that could adjust to hold varying shapes.

This was no challenge for Calista and George! In fact, they don’t enjoy making the same thing twice, it’s boring. Having a new challenge was all the fun. George said the design evolves throughout the entire process. With inventive designs, you have to be adaptable and problem solve as the design evolves and presents new challenges. 

“We had the idea in our head of what it was going to roughly look like, but as it came together, it was like wow…this looks good.”

With 4100 screws, 7900 washers, 1800 nuts, 200 bolts, 148 metres of chain, 8 bicycle bells and over 1 tonne of steel the Darby Street Breadfall took about 6 months to construct. . This meant 18-hour days, every day – including weekends. Insane stuff right! No real outside help, just Calista, George and their little helper, 7-year-old daughter Kaila.

Now Kaila is 100% apart of the team. She loves what mummy and daddy do and she always wants to be a part of it. From matching shirts to leather aprons, this family of three all work together to bring together what is; Found Design Made. 

With lots of exciting new things in the works with Harris Farm; secret business at this stage though! The team are fully booked for the year and we can see why! We’ll be keeping a close eye on these guys and we're dying to see what this inventive family get up too next.