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Text description provided by the architects. Regionally located, the homeowners wished for a second city home to maintain a connection with friends, family and the excitement and amenities of urban life. A new build tailored for brief stays, the Hotel House dissects the components of a boutique hospitality experience – encompassing glamour, convenience, cultural immersion, and meticulous attention to detail – to devise an elevated architecture and interior framework for their holiday retreat.
Situated in the inner-city suburb of South Yarra, this compact two-bedroom, (with adaptable design for a potential third bedroom) accommodation prioritizes style and quality over size.
Architecturally, the home is expressed as two contrasting volumes, intertwined to respond to the site influences and creating an internal courtyard on the ground level and a rooftop balcony providing privacy and amenities. The volumes are clearly differentiated with the upper geometry being smooth light render and the base geometry being highly textured dark timber. The overlapping configuration allows for dramatic double-height spaces internally whilst forming access to key light opportunities.
Conceptually, spaces are arranged around the expectations of a hotel experience. A curved tunnel-like corridor leads from entry, past a bag drop into the drinks lounge, beneath a dramatic void. Adjacent, a chef’s kitchen and bar, packed with function, but refined in detail, are built for sophisticated entertaining. A series of large sliding doors create an intimate music and reading room to open up when required. A mezzanine study overlooks the void, leading to two luxurious hotel suite-style bedrooms and washrooms.
A rich palette balances light and dark, texture and refinement, creating intimacy and a sense of escape with moments of vivid color. A diverse selection of stones, metal finishes, plasters, leathers, glasses and timber provide warmth and comfort. Being a compact site, top lighting has been utilized for both privacy and drama, filling the playful spaces with washes of light throughout the day. Artificial lighting amplifies textures and detail, and washes metal screens, creating spatial layers and depth throughout.
Underpinned with ease and enjoyment, the Hotel House was designed to understand the owner’s needs and to elevate their city abode with a sense of luxury.
