The Intercontinental Sydney has unveiled a $120-million makeover of its home inside the 171-year-old heritage-listed Treasury building.
The revamp by Woods Bagot took several years to realise, with works including the redesign of its 509 guest suites, heritage restorations, and upgrades to the public and wellness areas.
In September, the hotel debuted two new hospitality venues: the rooftop Aster Bar and the new ground floor hotel bar in the former lobby, The Treasury. Thirty-two levels up, the Aster Bar is an elevated sky bar and dining space with spectacular views over the harbour. The arched balconies of the former Treasury building now form
The arched balconies of the former Treasury Building now form the Treasury bar, wrapping the space in the 170-year-old heritage sandstone alcoves and earthy brick archways. The new chevron tiled floor anchors the historic space in a contemporary context surrounded with flourishes of rich greenery.
The bar sits in the former lobby in a light-filled atrium and gathering space where the two buildings meet.
Image:
Trevor Mein
Woods Bagot interior design lead Tracey Wiles said the aim was to integrate and enhance old and new elements of the hotel to blend the 1851 Treasury building with the 32-level tower completed in 1985. In response, the team took a “heritage meets modern” approach to the design language. “The heritage architecture gave us a beautiful palette of colours, textures and classic geometries, crafted in sandstone, brickwork, timber,” said Wiles.
“It was so important for us to understand the historical lineage and the scale of the role we play in that,” she continued. “The spaces retain a long memory of what once was and this is complemented by contemporary insertions that announce themselves proudly, introducing a fresh hierarchy of graphic and biophilic elements.”
The hotel draws from the grandeur of the past and introducing new materials, details and furnishings. Works included the creation of a new entrance and a redesigned reception area, using the same marble used to form the Treasury Bar, acting as a “continuous thread of materiality” as guests move through the hotel.
The conservatory restaurant on level one is a light=filled breakfast space with open cooking stations and a walk-in pantry.
Image:
Trevor Mein
“We designed a plisse stone wall to invite guests from the porte-cochere through to the Treasury Bar,” said project leader Tim Davies. “The feature wall is highly dynamic – a mix of honed limestone with book-matched Verde Oceania marble that forms a unified image at a certain point within the reception.”
Complementing the pleated stone feature wall, Woods Bagot used bespoke spotted gum reception desks to reference the naturalistic forms of Sydney’s coastal edge. The organic shape was achieved using a mix of computer-controlled milling and hand finishing to achieve the unique, textured outcome.
In the rooms, Woods Bagot flooded the space with greens and blues, harnessing the palette of the subtropical Sydney landscape.
“In the guest rooms, embracing the tonal layering of a blue and green palette was a bold approach that works incredibly well in connecting with the amazing views,” said Wiles. “It’s a strong departure from the standard beige on beige you so often see in modern properties.”
Wiles said her favourite aspect of the transformation is the light-filled atrium and gathering space – the former Cortile – where the two buildings met in the heart of the hotel. “There’s something about sitting in history but being in a contemporary environment that is super, super special.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
