Hilton Little Queen St Melbourne by Bates Smart. Photography: Kristoffer Paulsen
A celebration of Australia’s most exceptionally designed hospitality venues, the winners of the 2021 Eat Drink Design Awards have been announced with plenty of fabulous design to be found within the recipient list. Spanning restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, temporary venues and retail spaces, the awards recognise the best of Australian hospitality design and this year, despite testing COVID-led times, there’s some truly inspirational interiors in the mix.
“If there was an overarching trend across this year’s entries, we can see strong evidence of the restrained and the residential. There was a shift toward more utilitarian materials, creating future-forward spaces that avoid fuss and decoration. However, when decoration did appear, it carried a distinctly residential touch, with some venues in Adelaide and Auckland feeling less like restaurants and more like much-loved homes. It’s in these sorts of homely spaces that we often have the best hospitality experiences,” says Cassie Hansen, editor of Artichoke and Eat Drink Design Award jury chair.
Little Prince Wine. Photography: Sharyn Cairns
The Best Bar Design award was taken out by Little Prince Wine by IF Architecture. Located beneath St Kilda’s iconic Prince Hotel, Little Prince Wine looks as if it has always existed beneath the iconic venue.
Little Prince Wine. Photography: Sharyn Cairns
The Best Restaurant category produced two fabulous winners – Italian restaurant CicciaBella by Fiona Lynch Design (located in Sydney’s Paramatta) and Agnes by Amok, a restaurant located in a late-nineteenth-century warehouse on the edge of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley
CicciaBella by Fiona Lynch Interior Design. Photography: Pablo Veiga
Agnes by Amok. Photography: Cathy Schusler
Another Brisbane venue, Industry Beans, was recognised with Platform by DesignOffice taking out the award for Best Café Design. “Brisbane’s rise as a formidable food destination was reflected in this year’s awards. The Queensland capital’s booming restaurant, bar and cafe scene was underrepresented, with just four entries across the entire awards, but two won their respective categories and a third was shortlisted. Watch this space,” says Cassie.
Industry Beans by Platform by DesignOffice. Photography: Andy Macpherson
Designed by Bates Smart, Melbourne’s Hilton Little Queen St took out the Best Hotel Design award. Oozing with sophistication, the project was recognised for its fabulous lobby dining and drinking destinations – an overall trend that that was recognised by the judges.
Hilton Little Queen St Melbourne by Bates Smart. Photography: Kristoffer Paulsen
“We have witnessed an Australian renaissance of the hotel restaurant and bar, with especially strong hospitality offerings in Melbourne with the new and district hotels that have emerged since 2019,” says Cassie.
Hilton Little Queen St Melbourne by Bates Smart. Photography: Kristoffer Paulsen
Located in Sydney, Bill’s Darlinghurst took out the Hall of Fame award this year. Each year, one landmark venue is honoured for enduring excellence in the design of a hospitality venue of more than 10 years standing. Bills Darlinghurst was designed by Brian Kiernan with later additions by Tyrone Dearing and Meacham Nockles.
Bills Darlinghurst by Brian Kiernan with later additions by Tyrone Dearing and Meacham Nockles. Photography: Ross Honeysett
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Drawing inspiration from its fabulous seaside locale, Shutters bar and restaurant overlooks Sydney’s iconic Coogee beach from inside the strip’s Crowne Plaza hotel. Named after the series of large shutters that take centre stage, the luxe interior pays homage to the ocean with its natural materials palette and sea foam green, turquoise and coral colour pops.
Dining room
“The desaturated hues of the vast interior are evocative of ocean surf and they look almost botanical. The palette appears faded in time with its blush hues, marble, soft celadon green textured fabrics, custom terrazzo in putty tones and stucco rendered walls in cream on white,” says interior designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley who sourced many different stones and marbles to support the aquatic colour palette.
Designing a space that worked during the day and night was no mean feat – nor was creating something luxurious, comfortable and respectful of the glorious view. “The functional needs of the space, and the way it evolves from day to night, created some interesting design challenges. We also needed to be mindful of designing an interior that worked within the existing hotel space and melded with the foyer,” says Alex of AZB Creative.
The lobby bar features beautiful organic inspired curves
With multiple entry points, the designer created three different spaces that function separately and as a whole. The lobby bar is annexed to the foyer and this space features a hand-crafted concrete rendered bar that looks as if it’s constructed from timber. “On top of this, we laid incredible honed terrazzo. This space also includes an area behind glass that we deemed the charcuterie room, where visible chefs can prepare sumptuous feasts for guests,” says Alex.
Lobby bar
The main dining room and large open kitchen were designed to house guests in one space and its features include a detailed central dining banquette, with lush greenery in the centre. Custom rattan dining chairs, buffed leather and celadon green marble tables round out the high-end look.
We love this custom semi-circular table and banquette. What a hue!
The third space is the shuttered patio that opens up to the Coogee Beach foreshore – a six-metre-high glassed atrium is wrapped in a floating Moorish-inspired star cut screen in the dining area. “I wanted to create a dappling effect on the patrons as I thought it would be completely fabulous to have dappled stars in their eyes as they dine. I love this detail as it’s really special.”
The terrace
When it comes to the final flourishes, handmade pottery, barnacle-inspired ceramics and ethically sourced coral dot the room alongside pastel artworks by Australian artist Daimon Downey. “We always collaborate with artists, makers, and small run artisanal factories to create an interior narrative that has soul,” says Alex.
Shutters has won and been shortlisted for a slew of awards in the past year. It won Gold at the Sydney Design Awards 2020 as well as Gold for Best Upscale hotel in Australia at the HM2020 awards. It received an honourable mention in the 2020 International Design Awards and was shortlisted at the 2020 International Restaurant and Bar Awards in London. It’s also a shortlisted finalist for Best Hotel & Best Restaurant at the Eat Drink Design Awards 2020 and was shortlisted for the Best Hospitality Interior at the IDEA Awards.
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Powerhouse Tamworth by Rydges has completed its multi-million dollar redevelopment – three years in the making – to create the only five-star hotel property in the New England region of NSW. The refurbishment was designed and implemented by Australian award-winning design team, Paul Kelly Design, for renowned regional hotelier, Greg Maguire.
“The main objective for the redevelopment was to steer away from the stereotypical regional motel image,” says Greg. “I wanted to elevate the destination motel experience. We have so many corporate guests, as well as couples and families from Sydney, Brisbane and other locations – the aim was to create a contemporary experience that visitors and diners could experience in any metro city around the world.”
Award winning hospitality interior designer Paul Kelly
Paul said there were challenges in that they were working with an existing hotel “shell” which had been in operation for 20 years, as well as a more limited budget than usual. But it just meant they had to get more creative.
“It’s very glamorous which is of course a little unexpected in Tamworth and in a motel-style hotel. Whatever we do we always try and push the boundaries and exceed the customer’s expectations.
“Some of the touchpad points were based on a recent trip of mine to Tokyo staying at the Andaz. The stand-out for me in any room design is the lighting so we ensured that the lighting and the ergonomics around the use of power data and mood lighting worked at a very technologically high level, completely unexpected for a regional town. With the lighting controlled, we were able to provide a significant boost to the atmosphere within the rooms and use the reflection of the lighting to provide depth and warmth in which was otherwise a standard rectangular box for the room shape.”
At the same time, Paul and his team wanted to create something that was uniquely Tamworth. “We looked at the heritage of the area to inspire the aesthetic. We collaborated as much as we could with local suppliers and manufacturers to deliver a concept that was visually striking yet subtle with its touch points, plus also had a strong local touch that would offer a sense of pride for the community.”
The completion of the Tamworth redevelopment also marks the launch of 20 brand-new luxe serviced apartments, a mix of one and two-bedroom options and a three-bedroom villa, perfect for longer stays and families or groups travelling together. The apartments complement the property’s 61 newly refurbished rooms and suites, all with high-speed free wi-fi, 60 inch 4K smart TVs on an acoustic wave wall, wireless mobile chargers, multiple USB ports and catering for every modern traveller’s needs.
The new serviced apartments
Paul Kelly Design is one of the country’s top design firms specialising in the hospitality industry, having designed over 600 bars and restaurants, and winning several national awards and international listings for its projects. Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth was the firm’s first hotel project, bringing a new level of excitement in curating beautiful, bespoke spaces for guests to retreat as a ‘home away from home’.
“We worked with Greg on the hotel’s food and beverage areas first,” says Paul. Greg is a passionate operator and we had so much fun collaborating with the first stage of the project. When he asked us to get involved with the guest rooms, we saw it as a new opportunity to create something truly different for the hotel accommodation and allowed us more time to collaborate with Greg and the broader team.”
The hotel’s Coal Bunker bar
Powerhouse Tamworth by Rydges is part of the Powerhouse Hotels Group, an Australian-owned and operated family business who have been operating in regional NSW for the past 40 years with their two hotels in Tamworth and Armidale.
Greg says: “We’ve taken the beauty and history of our New England region, the nostalgia of the roadside motel and elevated it to a new level. When guests visit us, they will find a level of sophistication throughout that offers a true escape, and a sense of comfort and luxury more commonly associated with urban hotels around the globe.”
He adds: “This project is an investment in the future of Tamworth. It has been a substantial project, but it could not have been finalised at a more opportune time. I am proud to have been able to up the ante of our own hotel accommodation experience, providing a luxury stop in country NSW for guests, particularly at a time when the appetite for regional travel is strong as Australians are wanting to explore more of their broader backyard. We are looking to lure more visitors to Tamworth, to show them how incredible the region is and what country hospitality is all about.”
On working with Paul, Greg said: “Paul is fervent, fearless and passionate about his design projects, and we knew we could trust the process with him at the helm. His attention to detail in the fit-out has been second to none, using Australian and local materials and workmanship wherever was possible. He also has a keen eye for achieving the balance of visual aesthetic and operational design, and his hospitality experience has been paramount to the success of this project.”
Along with its accommodation, Powerhouse Tamworth by Rydges incorporates the iconic regional dining establishment, The Workshop Kitchen. The restaurant sits alongside the classy-cool Coal Bunker Bar with brass and timber elements and deep aqua hued velvet soft furnishings.
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At a time when the hospitality industry is really hurting, due to lockdown measures and the general economic downturn, this year’s Eat Drink Design Awards finalist announcements do feel bittersweet. That said, perhaps there’s no better time to celebrate the best designed hospitality venues across Australia and New Zealand, in recognition of the joy they provide.
“Perhaps it is no coincidence that in a time of such upheaval, we have seen designers create spaces that provide familiarity in their appearance and comfort in their feel. Many designers appeared to be in search of an air of nostalgia for the interiors they created, with numerous venues showcasing a modern take on traditional spaces. This year’s designers have one foot in the past whilst firmly looking towards the future,” says Cassie Hansen, Eat Drink Design Awards jury chair and editor of Artichoke.
And while the awards recognise excellence in design across many spheres (hotel, bar, cafe and retail design to name a few), this year we’ve decided to showcase the finalists in the restaurant category; an impressive bunch indeed.
Mya Tiger by Techne Architecture and Interior Design, St Kilda VIC. Photo: Shannon McGrath
Madre by RADS with Voice Design (identity). Photo: David Sievers
New York Grill by CTRL Space. Auckland, NZ. Photo: Sarah Grace
Shutters by AZB Creative and Schiavello Construction. Coogee, NSW. Photo: Tyrone Branigan
Niubi by T A Square. Melbourne, VIC. Photo: Tom Roe
Alala’s by Pony Design Co. Neutral Bay, NSW. Photo: Phutang
Glorietta by Alexander and Co. North Sydney, NSW. Photo: Anson Smart
Bathers Pavilion by Luchetti Krelle. Mosman, NSW. Photo: Michael Wee
Fino Vino restaurant shot for Studio Gram Architects. Adelaide, S.A. Photo: Kate Bowman
Poodle Bar and Bistro by Bergman and Co. Fitzroy, VIC. Photo: Derek Swalwell
Firebird by Ewert Leaf. Windsor, VIC. Photo: Jana Longhorst
The Albert Park Hotel by Six Degrees Architects. Albert Park, VIC
Chocolate Buddha by Maddison Architects. Melbourne, VIC. Photo: Will Watt
Frederic by SJB Interiors. Cremorne, VIC. Photo: Sharyn Cairns
Ichiro Izakaya Bar by Studio Grayscale. Burwood East, VIC. Photo: Michelle Jarni
Lagoon Dining by Olaver Architecture. Carlton, VIC. Photo: Ben Hosking
Lilian by CTRL Space. Auckland, NZ. Photo: Sarah Grace
Martha’s Table by Melissa Collison. Mornington Peninsula, VIC. Photo: James Geer
Omnia Bistro by Architects EAT. South Yarra, VIC. Photo: Shannon McGrath
Osteria Tedesca by Cox Architecture. Red Hill, VIC. Photo: Tommy Miller
Paper Crane by CTRL Space. Cairns City, QLD. Photo: Cathy Schulser
Poly by Anthony Gill Architects. Surry Hills, NSW. Photo: Clinton Weaver
Rengaya by Giant Design Consultants. North Sydney, NSW. Photo: Andrew Worssam
The Beach House by Studio Gram. Jindalee, Western Australia. Photo: Dion Robeson
SK Steak and Oyster by Richards and Spence. Fortitude Valley, QLD. Photo: David Chatfield
Superhiro by T A Square. Melbourne, VIC. Photo: Tom Roe
Nagambie Brewery and Distillery by Six Degrees Architects. Nagambie, VIC. Photo: Greg Elms
The Eat Drink Design Awards is Australia’s only hospitality design awards program and the overall winners will be announced Wednesday 18 November.
2019 hospitality design awards: Rural areas feature
Recognising the best in design across restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels and more, the Eat Drink Design Awards are Australia’s only hospitality design honours, and 2019’s coveted trophies have just been…
Recognising the best in design across restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels and more, the Eat Drink Design Awards are Australia’s only hospitality design honours, and 2019’s coveted trophies have just been handed out.
“From a pink-hued bar in a country town with barely over 2,000 people, to a future-focused CBD restaurant, this year’s winners are very geographically diverse, indicating that in Australia, good design transcends location. It’s something that has permeated out to our suburbs and our regional areas, which should be applauded,” says Cassie Hansen, editor of Artichoke magazine and jury chair.
And while there were winners across eight categories, these are our pick of the bunch.
Best Bar Design: Blacksmith Lake Mulwala by The Stella Collective (Mulwala, NSW)
Blacksmith. Image: Lillie Thompson
Located in rural Mulwala, New South Wales, the Blacksmith interiors are sophisticated, elegantly restrained, and certainly not what you’d expect to find in the bush! “The proportions of the indoor/outdoor space are well controlled, with the palette and materials showing incredible restraint and elegance. This restraint allows the few pops of whimsy to have a greater impact: vintage-style pink patio umbrellas might get lost in a busier design, but here they evoke 1970’s Southern California without devolving into cliché,” say the judges.
Blacksmith. Image: Lillie Thompson
Blacksmith. Image: Lillie Thompson
Best Café Design: Via Porta by Studio Esteta (Mont Albert, VIC)
Located in Melbourne, this café and deli has a distinctly European vibe. “Meant to evoke the narrow alleyways of Italy, the floor is paved in stone offcuts procured from various suppliers and painstakingly fitted to create a unique and textured warmth. The sandy stones set the tone for the space’s lovely earth-hued palette, creating a feel that is tactile and intimate,” say the judges.
Via Porta. Image: Sean Fennessy
Via Porta. Image: Sean Fennessy
Best Hotel Design (joint winner): Drifthouse by Multiplicity (Port Fairy, VIC) & The Calile Hotel by Richards and Spence (Fortitude Valley, QLD)
We brought you the finalists in this category recently, and it comes as no surprise that the jury had a hard time choosing a winner.
Drifthouse is a small, boutique hotel in Victoria’s Port Fairy, and the property encompasses a double-storey Victorian bluestone house, an adjacent single-storey Edwardian home, and a newly built garden pavilion and reception centre. It’s a tricky mix that the designers got just right!
“This was one of the outstanding regional projects we saw this year, and we hope its marked ambition is a harbinger of things to come from Australia’s smaller communities,” say the judges.
Drifthouse. Image: Martina Gemmola
Drifthouse. Image: Martina Gemmola
We’re massive fans of Brisbane’s The Calile Hotel, and we’re not surprised to see it take out top honours. Something of an urban resort, its restrained colour palette and Insta-worthy interiors have already made it something of a modern Aussie icon. “The design works to conjure an impressive sense of luxe escapism, creating a resort atmosphere despite its intensely urban location,” say the judges.
Drawing on diverse influences such as The Hamptons, Montauk, the Mediterranean, and even a classic English garden, historic Sydney hotel The Newport has had a Merivale makeover and we like it a lot. Formerly known as The Newport Arms, the northern beaches venue boasts over 900 seats and combines several food offerings from a juice bar to a burger shack, coffee kiosk and pizza stall with fire pits, a live music stage and games area too.
Main bar
“With such a vast venue we had to come up with a concept that would logistically work for so many people, so we took inspiration from festivals and created different food offerings,” says Merivale stylist Amanda Talbot, who says the team tried hard to balance practical concerns with respect for the history of the site. “We wanted to create a space in which locals and visitors would have fun and that people of all ages, from all walks of life, would feel comfortable in.”
The Deck live music area
The Terrace takes inspiration from the outdoor parks in Europe while The Deck is where live music is performed. “We took cues from Montauk in the US for the live music area and over at The Burger Shack we looked at Moroccan cactus gardens to drive our design,” says Amanda. Possibly our favourite area, for its good looks and bonus interactivity, the games area tucked behind The Kiosk is inspired by vintage gymnasiums.
Games area
“The concept of the games area came from when we designed the Coogee Pavilion. I really wanted to create a space that was not a crèche but would engage people of all ages to use it. I’m not sure why I came up with a giant magnetic scrabble board but I just thought it would be a fun game to play when you have a drink with your friends and would add extra theatre to the space,” says Amanda.
Ping Pong tables
“Regarding the ping pong tables, we all thought it was a more social game than pool and is a fun game. It’s really nice to see how different age groups move through the games area throughout the day. It starts with toddlers in the morning and adults of all ages in the evening after dinner. It’s nice to have a space where parents can go and know their children can have some fun in a venu.”
The Kiosk
In operation since the 1880s, the venue’s rich history and local importance was a key consideration throughout the design process. “I have been to the venue and met three generations of family members enjoying the space who have so many wonderful stories to share. It was really important for us to keep the community feel in the space so we engaged local furniture makers, artists, and even outdoor umbrella makers who all live within the northern beaches. We also designed large tables because it is common for extended family and groups of friends to gather there,” says Amanda.
Fire pits
One aspect that certainly fosters a communal vibe is the outdoor fire pits. “Everyone loves to sit around a fire, especially when it is outside, so we created three seating zones throughout the venue where people could sit around and chat. It’s a really nice spot to meet people and get to know the locals,” says Amanda.
We’ve profiled the Sydney female design trio TomMarkHenry before and, as predicted, the relatively new company is making quite the mark on the interior design scene. Held recently in Sydney, in conjuction with the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke magazine, the firm took out the the Australian Interior Design Award for the retail sector – rather fitting given their current client roster.
Friends since childhood – TomMarkHenry
“It is a really exciting time for TomMarkHenry, we are being approached by larger companies looking for bespoke design solutions. We are being recognised as designers who can create something unique, using materials that are interesting and concepts that are original,” says director Chloe Matters. With a particular focus on the hospitality and commercial sector, the firm’s recent projects include the rebranding of Nando’s, 1888 Certified, Vibe Hotels, Café Indigo, Los Vida Bondi, the Well Gym in Bondi and Los Vida Melbourne.
The new-look Nando’s – we love!
We’re particularly taken with the trio’s rebrand of Nando’s. “We are thrilled to be working with an established global business like Nando’s. They approached us to help them develop their brand and move away from the franchise feel of the current restaurants. We have worked with them to successfully change the direction of their customer experience and design spaces that are unique to each individual environment depending on the location,” says fellow director Jade Nottage.
With 1,000 restaurants in 30 countries (including 270 in Australia), this is an amazing opportunity for the firm to take their bespoke approach to the global scene. “We are only two years old in this business and have gained a lot of traction and national award nominations, which has gained us access to a variety of clients that we can help to develop a more bespoke concept,” says Jade.
Injecting Nando’s with style – who would have thought??
Friends since childhood – TomMarkHenry