Wurundjeri
Victoria
Melbourne Place is a new independent hotel accommodated in a “complete design”, a building with fully integrated interiors designed by a single team. Work included collaborating on the development of the hotel brand in conjunction with Client Josh Taylor, brand agency Studio Round and Hotel Managing Director Tracy Atherton. Colour is an amplifier, mood-defining, responsive to aspect and program and is set against large areas of complementary natural materials – West Australian jarrah, locally sourced terrazzo in blends developed specifically for Melbourne Place and metallic accents in brass and corten steel – all materials selected with durability in mind. Fixtures, fittings, lights, carpets and furniture have largely been sourced from local makers and designers, many made specifically for Melbourne Place. Local artists represent Melbourne culture – contemporary, sophisticated, urban, multi-cultural and grounded in the world’s oldest continuous living culture. The sum total, visually fresh but uncannily familiar, an authentic representation of place.
Melbourne Place is a richly layered and meticulously crafted interior that confidently redefines the experience of a contemporary hotel. Across sixteen levels, the project delivers a masterclass in spatial sequencing, colour, materiality, and expressive detailing. The design unfolds as a journey from the art-filled foyer and mezzanine through to the varied lounge, meeting, event, and hospitality spaces, with each area revealing a distinct identity while contributing to a cohesive whole.
Colour is deployed to transform experience, extending beyond surface treatment to become a strategy for mood, orientation, and atmosphere. Shifting colour palettes are used for wayfinding and as a way to filter light, views and the surrounding city. Custom details and locally sourced materials and fixtures are celebrated throughout. Every object from the smallest junction to furnishings and lighting are considered and composed with care. A playful circle motif appears as a recurring gesture, bringing character and lightness to typically overlooked elements.
The hotel rooms offer a generous and calm retreat, with operable windows, soft lighting, and thoughtful bathroom planning that blurs the line between concealment and openness. These interiors speak to both the scale of the city and the intimacy of personal experience.
Melbourne Place is both sophisticated and irreverent; an interior of depth, delight, and cultural specificity. A deserving recipient of the Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture.
Patrick Kennedy, Design Architect
Rachel Nolan, Design Architect
Michael Macelod, Design Architect
Jacky Oro, Project Architect
Adriana Hanna, Project Architect
Shin Kil, Project Architect
Elizabeth Campbell, Architect
Han Wu, architect
Danny Truong, Architect
Candice Chan, Architect
Annie Paxton, Architect
Jack Lawrence, Architect
Dorothea Yannoulidis, Student of Architecture
MGAC, Access Consultant
Renzo Tonin, Acoustic Consultant
ADA Consulting, Art Consulting
Alder Technology, AV Consultant
Studio Round, Branding
Codus, Building Surveyor
WGA, Civil Consultant
Cundall, ESD Consultant
BG&E, Facade Engineer
Omnii, Fire Engineer
Veris, Land Surveyor
Amanda Oliver, Landscape Consultant
WT, Quantity Surveyor
WRAP Consulting Engineering, Services Consultant
WSP, Structural Engineer
Ernesto A’de lima, Hotel Operations Consultant
Gallagher Jeffs, Project Manager
APP Group, Project Manager
DBIG, Development Manager
Longriver, Developer
Tracy Atherton, Hotel Consultant
JRF, Furniture Procurement