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CONTENTS December 2017 No 66

issue sixty six 2017 District 8 • Stokehouse • Jazz Corner Hotel • Zouk Singapore

the stitching on the couches, glass elements, durability, it’s well thought out. It might take a little while to reach a decision but they know when they get there

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Hugh van Haandel, Stokehouse Venue: District 8 Architect: Altis Architecture Builder: Rohrig

Restaurants

10 District 8, Sydney 14 Fonda Rooftop Deck, Melbourne 16 Stokehouse, Melbourne 22 Alex&Co., Sydney 38 Hana, Melbourne

Nightclubs

24 Zouk, Singapore

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All material in this magazine is copyright ÂŠ 2017 Alchemedia Publishing Pty Ltd. The title Venue is a registered Trademark. Apart from any fair dealing permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The publishers believe all information supplied in this magazine to be correct at the time of publication. They are not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. After investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, prices, addresses and phone numbers were up to date at the time of publication. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements appearing in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility is on the person, company or advertising agency submitting or directing the advertisement for publication. The publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, although every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy. 21/11/17

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f you’ve read this column over the years, you’ve probably felt deep sympathy for me as I’ve described long, draining research trips through some of the best bars, restaurants and hotels in some of the most vibrant cities on Earth, hunting inspiration and ideas to steal. Like my business partners and my wife, you’ve probably wondered what horrible thing I did in a past life to deserve such a fate. And like them, I’m sure you were grateful I’d taken one for the team to bring these ideas back to Australia. Well, I took another one for you all recently. My pleasure. This trip was only part idea-stealing. Its primary purpose was procurement, or – in more familiar industry-speak: to buy shit. Working with our interior designers and, now, our stylists, we’re moving from a brand new look to something with more patina. We think the best pubs feel lived-in, feel like they’ve been round a while. They feel like things have been added to them over years, decades even. The best pubs don’t shine bright and fade, they glow gently, improving over time. And that’s why character matters. But all that character and patina has to come from somewhere. And that somewhere needs to have heaps of character and patina itself.

BRIC-A-BRAC VS CHANDALIERS Australia has some history of producing beautiful antique and vintage furniture, light fittings, artwork, decor and joinery. When we were applying the finishing touches to the Bridge Hotel’s crazy laneway-inspired eclecticism, I spent months on the road in a transit van visiting every vintage shed, antique store and flea market in Victoria, and about 300 private homes for eBay pickups. We installed about 1000 individual pieces into the Bridge, most of them small and readily-found – SLR cameras, lenses, drums, cymbals all converted to lights; vintage bikes built into a suspended lighting sculpture; retro radios, bottles, shutters, fireplaces. Despite these items being fairly common, I’d still only find two or three items per stop. Do the maths for 1000 items! That’s a lot of stops! And that’s just for small, simple stuff. Bric-a-brac is one thing but beautiful, large antique items are few and far between in Australia. Large chandeliers, antique French bars, wall-sized mirrors, well-framed classical artworks… Not many of those items made it to Australia and those that did are now sitting in vast country estates or large city mansions. And they’re not for sale. Those that have been bought back from the Old World more recently by antique dealers are for sale, sure, but at such inflated prices they don’t fit a humble pub’s budget. So for our recent renovation at the Waterside Hotel in Melbourne’s CBD, and our upcoming reno at the Espy in St Kilda, we decided to source our stuff from the source: Europe.

VINTAGE TREASURE HUNT First stop was Barcelona. Among the world’s best exponents of this layered, aged style is Soho House, the English private members’ club that has morphed into one of Europe’s biggest and best boutique hotel chains. (They’d be horrified to hear their organisation described as a ‘chain’, but its unlikely they’ll be reading this so I’ll go with it!) Soho House has just opened a Barcelona chapter, and like each new offering, this one is filled with locally-sourced antiques: Catalonian, Moroccan, Algerian and more broadly Spanish. In the case of Soho House a team of in-house stylists work year-round to build collections of styling items, some of them project-specific (in the case of the Barcelona

SMOOTH OPERATOR Antique Roadshow Matt Mullins is a partner in Sand Hill Road hospitality group

opening for instance), many of them for seasonal alterations to the existing Houses. Hearing about this reminded me of the way Gail Donovan has been re-styling Donovans in St Kilda several times a year for several decades now, the result was a warehouse so full of vintage and antique items they filled the St Kilda Town Hall when she eventually put them up for sale last year. Next stop Paris, with its acres and acres of antique markets, where I first got a handle on the logistics of buying and shipping antiques back to Australia. Key to this endeavour is having a ‘man on the ground’. First, to speak French to the 50 or so antique dealers I end up buying from (none of whom speak English). Secondly, to pick up the items and store them in his warehouse. Thirdly, to take delivery of further items that would be later purchased in the UK, and delivered via the Chunnel to the warehouse in Lille. Next, to take delivery of our 40-foot container from the Australian shipping company, which will be shipping it back. And, finally, to itemise, clean, wrap and pack each item safely into said container.

BRITISH PROCUREMENT Final stop was London, and the Chiltern Firehouse, Andre Balazs’ continental version of his West Hollywood Chateau Marmont. Like the Chateau, the Firehouse is also styled to within an inch of its glamorous A-List life. In the Chateau’s case, that style is Belle Epoque and French Empire through the public areas, with a more modest mid-century French style through the rooms. It’s like walking into the 1950s Hollywood Hills Villa of an ageing French silent movie star, whose young new wife has bought Modernism into the house… but only upstairs. Not downstairs. Downstairs is for his antiques dammit! The Chiltern Firehouse is an altogether more English affair. Less obviously reflective of a specific time, there’s a rich, luxe undertone to upholstery and carpet, that hints at London’s glamorous 20th century nightclub past, and a lighter, floral fabric, white-painted timber layer that must have first appeared horribly ‘cottage-y’ when presented on a mood board. Yet somehow it all comes together to defy any obvious description. Its purpose is to transport guests to another time and place, unspecified, yet exhilarating.

London was my base for day trips to the greater city’s many antique shops, culminating in a twoday trip to the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire for – you guessed it – more antique shopping. Along the way, I also checked into Shoreditch House, Soho House’s über-cool, hipster outpost. On the day it opened, I checked into The Ned, Soho’s brand new billion-dollar, 500-room hotel in London’s financial district. And on my journey though the English countryside, I stayed a night at the Soho Farmhouse, a boutique hotel spread across a small English village, its manor houses, barns, pubs, restaurants, general stores, cooking schools, gym, pools, gardens and farmyards all available for guests to fulfil nostalgic English country dreams bought on by addicted viewing of Downton Abbey.

LESSONS LEARNT The upshot of our procurement expedition: 1. We found hundreds of pieces we’d never find in Australia (and even if we could have, miraculously, found one or two of them here, they would have been unaffordable.) 2. The logistics is the hard part, but there are plenty of people out there who do this for a living. Hire one of them – you can’t do this on your own! And as for stealing ideas: turns out the best thing the best European hotels and bars are doing right now is styling. Now we can not only steal their ideas. We can steal their furniture too!

SOMETHING I EIGHT All eyes are on the ’burbs, as Altis & Rohrig realise a huge, innovative, everyman’s food concept for Cabra-Vale Diggers. Story: Christopher Holder Photos: Rohrig District 8: Cabra-Vale Diggers, 1 Bartley St, Canley Vale NSW cabravale.com.au

MEKONG DELTA FORCE

Tina Fox, Project Leader, Interior Design from Altis Architecture: “We wanted to create a unique environment where the customer could experience a culinary journey through South East Asia. We were particularly inspired by the tastes, smells and sights of the Mekong River that flows through Vietnam, Thailand, China, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. We also wanted to create an exciting space with an outdoor street feel and different types of seating and food and drink stations, creating a new discovery and point of interest at every turn. We have created ‘streets’ and walkways through the scheme, surrounded by columns, plants and Hong Kong-style illuminated signage to really give that feeling of being outdoors.”

ar from the sparkling opulence of the harbour; far from the privilege of the ‘Goat’s Cheese Circle’; far beyond a Time Out correspondent’s normal CabCharge limit; far from the nearest Merivale gastro-pub are the unfashionable suburbs of Liverpool, Fairfield, and Cabramatta in Sydney’s West. It’s an unlikely epicentre of F&B innovation. The clubs of the west are taking food seriously. Or at least there are a group of progressive clubs that are cementing their positions as community hubs with great food, at great prices in venues that are stylish and comfortable. Cabra-Vale Diggers has go-ahead clubs such as St John’s Bowling and Fairfield RSL on its doorstep and wisely chose to lift its game. Engaging Altis Architecture to develop an ambitious masterplan, the club has undergone a complete gastronomic transformation. Not so long ago it launched its Brasserie on the Park and Poppy Café food outlets and most recently it’s launched a new food concept called District 8. Thus far they’ve dropped a cool $18m on the new direction.

EIGHT ATE EIGHT District 8 is an enormous (2000sqm) Asian eatery that appeals to just about anyone with a taste for authentic South East Asian food in its various guises, including food from Vietnam, China, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. In many ways District 8 is more like a foodcourt than a restaurant. ‘Foodcourt’ might be a dirty word for many, but the intent is the same: to feed a large number of patrons with a selection of cuisines. Where District 8 is doing something differently, is in the shared kitchen and back of house facilities. As many as eight (hence the name District 8) kitchens may be functioning at once but they all share the same back of house and loading dock. Boris Belevski, CEO of Cabra-Vale Diggers elaborates: “There are eight food outlets that will be selling a wide variety of authentic Asian foods, with a concentration of South East Asian tastes. District 8 will be able to seat 550-600 diners at the one time. Plus there is an interactive playground for kids of all ages. All the dining precincts — which in total seat up to 900 people — will provide a multi-faceted East meets West eating hub, and are the demonstration of the club’s diversity.” Woah, Cabra-Vale Diggers has really turbocharged its F&B.

EARTHY EAT STREET

SEEING RED

Tony Maluccio, Senior Associate Architect at Altis Architecture: “One of my favourite features is the red feature ceiling with over 5500 pieces of hanging red timber. This was a tricky item to design and to get the lighting to work — it took many days to install all the individual pieces but it creates a unique feature that leads you through the space. It was also a pleasure working with the operator, client and the team at Cabra-Vale Diggers on branding, marketing, brand values and operational flows. It brought the the ‘3Ps’ together: people, product and place. It always pleasing to see a venue holistically relate to the vision and concept, from interior architecture to signage. We believe this precinct achieves all of that.”

District 8 might be a big deal for the club but also for the key contractors. Rohrig took care of the build. It was on site for more than six months and represents one of its largest jobs. Altis Architecture was not only responsible for the interiors but is looking after the entire masterplan. Altis Architecture Director, Rolfe Latimer is clearly proud of the work his team has undertaken: “Our team has been working on District 8 for a number of years now, so it’s enormously satisfying to see it completed and being met with such enthusiasm. It’s not a typical club fitout and is unique to the food & beverage market. The fitout relies on earthy finishes to create an authentic Asian marketplace feel. It’s a large area and we have designed a venue that creates value for our client. Saying that, there’s an enormous amount of detail and layering in the interiors of District 8. The joinery, for example, is first class and highly detailed. Another example is the bathrooms, which are highly detailed. Some have likened it to Mr Wong’s in the city.”

ROHRIG’S DESIGN TEST DRIVE

Rohrig took care of the District 8 build. Over a frenetic eightmonth period Rohrig, led by NSW General Manager, Peter Hurley, realised the ambitious project. One compelling Rohrig drawcard is its ability to mock up one-to-one scale simulations out of polystyrene. In the case of District 8, nine mockups were produced, providing lifesize simulations for the club to live with and test drive for a period. Peter Hurley: “This was the most number of individual mockups we’ve built for any single job. The mockups allow us to capture insights, suggestions and possibilities, from the client and test alternatives. Everyone can have peace of mind before a project kicks off that what is being built will function right first time.The Rohrig mock-up process has created long term value for clients, along with the comfort of knowing that their expectations will be met. When committing significant funds to a new project or major renovation, it pays to reality-test your new spaces, before they are manufactured. Rohrig: www.rohrig.com.au

I asked Rolfe about the impact District 8 will have on the way clubs and shopping malls will think about the large-scale service of food. Rolfe Latimer: “Food and beverage, at the end of the day, needs to be profitable — efficiency and operation of layout is critical. In the District 8 design process we looked at a configuration that involved a number of isolated stations — not dissimilar to a food court layout. However, the cost of this design is significant and the labor costs are greater to operate that layout. Even though District 8 has up to eight kitchens, clearly there’s only one operator (Cabra-Vale Diggers), so it seemed to make eminent sense to have a central bar with shared back of house. “The other dimension in all this is how to break up a large area in a way that appeals to a wide variety of people — from kids to VIPs. The design achieves this with zoning and the use of a ‘street’ and lanes. District 8 also really values its regular gaming customers and the restaurant respects those patrons, such that they will feel immediately comfortable dining in District 8. It feels familiar, and not intimidating with CBD-style glitz and chrome.”

CHECKING IN NEXT

Next on Cabra-Vale Diggers’ ambitious program of development is a hotel. According to Rolfe Latimer it’s not your average suburban hotel, rather “a very contemporary design equal to the new CBD projects in Sydney”. More innovation? Why am I not surprised?

ARRIBA Fonda Mexican: 144 Chapel St, Windsor VIC www.fondamexican.com.au

wo mates go to Mexico, fall in love with the food and the sun-kissed party lifestyle and decide to bring a version back to Melbourne. It’s a real ‘have a go’ success story but those two blokes, Tim McDonald and Dave Youl, have not only found something that works but also something that scales — there are now seven Fondas around Melbourne and one to open in Sydney before too long. venue used the excuse of the opening of the Windsor outlet’s upstairs balcony to catch up with Dave Youl, take a deep breathe and ask: ‘what the heck just happened?!’

HEART GROWS FONDA

venue: Take us back to 2011 and what led you and Tim to open up a Mexican restaurant. Dave Youl: Everyone has a positive perception of the Mexican culture — fun and sunny — but in Australia the food was perceived to be stodgy, fatty, with loads of sour cream, cheese, and refried beans. We set about creating an experience that had all the positive aspects — the summertime, the parties, the social side — combining that with a more authentic version of Mexican food, rather than the American Tex Mex interpretation, which is cheesy and refried. So we engaged some Mexican chefs and fine dining chefs to create a much lighter brighter version of Mexican street food that was going to be accepted by the Melbourne palate.

CONTACTS Techne: www.techne.com.au Bromic Heating: 1300 276 642 or www.bromic.com.au

venue: Your first restaurant was and is in Richmond. Was it an instant hit? Dave Youl: It took about three days — three long days. Then it became really popular, with an hour-long waiting list every night. There were only seats for 20 (now 45) inside. venue: Was there a perception that you were simply riding on the coat tails of Mamasita’s success — which had opened just prior to you to great success? Dave Youl: Mamasita had been open for six months at the time. We didn’t know anything about Mamasita when were were doing our planning. We were grateful though, because they were the ground breakers and famous for queues down the stairs. We were also fortunate in our timing, insofar as fine dining taking a dive at the time and our atmosphere and pricepoint was perfect. Sound odd, but we also launched right about that time Tinder was launching and we proved to be an ideal destination. Where you could meet in a casual environment, have a drink at the bar, and come at peak time to break the intensity. venue: Were you quite set on the look and feel of Fonda from the beginning? David Youl: We designed the first Fonda ourselves. Then we involved Techne architects, dealing with director Justin Northrop. He helped us shape the brand and the experience in terms of the look and feel. When we started we had little or no branding. We had a name but nothing on the walls or

10 Years of Quality Assurance

venue: Tell us about the new Windsor Fonda rooftop. David Youl: We had our eye on the space from the beginning. It’s designed by Techne, it’s west facing and can handle about 60 people. We think it’s just about the best rooftop venue on Chapel Street. venue: What are the important features of a Melbourne rooftop venue? David Youl: Keeping people comfortable year around is the main one. We spent a fortune on the retractable awning. It’s from Turkey and the first one installed in Australia. It has concealed gutters, fully automated, and keep our patrons totally protected. We’ve also invested in Bromic Tungsten Smart Heat units which I believe have the best combination of aesthetics and functionality. Bromic came in and consulted on the project early on to ensure we had the right amount of coverage, and helped us in the follow-up after the installation. The result is we have a warm, dry and comfortable venue all year around. Even with all the awning closed and the heaters on, you feel like you’re enjoying an alfresco experience. — Christopher Holder

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packaging. Design has subsequently played a big part in the Fonda branding.

STOKED! After four goes at designing Stokehouse, Pascale Gomes-McNabb is still stoked on beach house chic. Story: Mark Davie Stokehouse 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda, VIC (03) 9525 5555 or www.stokehouse.com.au

hen the original Stokehouse burned down, the management team immediately scrambled together a marquee to cover any pre-booked weddings they couldn’t relocate at short notice. Going from heritage-listed beach house chic to a white vinyl tent wasn’t exactly the dream scenario for anyone involved, but they made it work. With the temporary instalment sorted, it brought up the question, ‘What made the Stokehouse?’ Was it the beachside location? The heritage-listed surrounds? The interiors? Or the staff who put food and drinks on the table? Owner Frank van Haandel quickly devised a lab to test those theories, gutting another family venue, Comme, in favour of the now-homeless eldest child. Stokehouse City immediately wiped one of the four criteria off the table; there was no beach in sight. Still, the Alfred Place building sure had heritage, having housed one of Melbourne hospitality’s finest mainstays — Mietta’s. Stokehouse City has since been sold. It was briefly turned into Cut Bar & Grill, and is now the Alfred Place Melbourne events space run by Rockpool Dining Group. The sale allowed van Haandel to focus on getting the original Stokehouse back on its feet. The striking new building was designed by Robert Simeoni Architects and, as before, is split over two levels. This time though, the second-storey restaurant is propped up on pylons to leave a gap between it and the ground floor casual eatery, Pontoon. It’s a completely different approach to the beach pavilion. Rather than the simple weatherboard shack, which Simeoni modernised when he built the Seaford Life Saving Club, this version is more like a multi-million dollar modernist holiday home poking out of the sand dunes along the coast.

STOKED AGAIN It’s a completely different look to the original building, so venue talked to designer Pascale Gomes-McNabb about how she approached this iteration. Gomes-McNabb knows Stokehouse almost as intimately as Frank van Haandel himself. The is the fourth time she’s worked on a design under that name. Her first take on the restaurant was in 2010, then she designed the ‘pop up’ version at Stokehouse City, after that she was working on Bennelong by Stokehouse at the Sydney Opera House before it was abandoned to divert attention back to rebuilding Stokehouse in its original location. “I asked Frank, ‘What do you want?’” recalled Gomes McNabb. “He gave me back my brief I’d given to him in 2010. He loved it so much he said, ‘I just want an updated version with all those ideas you have.’” Of course, merely regurgitating the 2010 version was never going to suffice. It became a journey of once again distilling the essence of Stokehouse in an entirely new interior design. “The idea of having luxe and chic design, but really comfortable. Not shabby chic though,” she said, setting a limit on how comfortable is too far in the opposite direction. “Frank wants it to feel as though you can stay all day — to come for lunch and stay until they close, which a lot of people do.” GomesMcNabb says increasing the length of stay comes down to the place feeling a bit more like accomodation than simply a restaurant. “People come from all over Melbourne, and it’s almost like walking into a holiday,” she said. “It’s not just going to a restaurant to eat. You’re having an experience that’s like a mini holiday by the beach. You feel completely removed from everything else that you’ve done on that day or that week.”

STOKING THE SOUND

It’s a level of detachment that’s not just about being on the beach. Though it’s undoubtedly a key difference when most other restaurants are just off the street. “It’s that old-fashioned sense of going to a place of celebration — there is an entrance, there is somebody at reception, they can take your coat. There’s an unfolding journey you go on as a diner, rather than just being a perfunctory duty you have to perform. “The view’s captivating,” she added. “It’s also quite casual and the staff make it that way, the kitchen is open long hours, which makes you feel like you can just keep going.” The lounge and terrace areas really promote a long stay. Once you’ve spent the afternoon indulging in fine food, you can retire to a sofa on the terrace — just like the one you’d fall into for an afternoon nap at the beach house — or sink into an inflatable Featherston Obo sphere.

SETTING THE BAR IN ALL FACETS Near the beginning of the journey is the multifaceted marble bar. As well as serving as the bar for the lounge, terrace alfresco area and main din-

ing room, it’s also an oyster bar and doubles as the restaurant’s reception desk. It’s an amazingly flexible space, “It fits in absolutely everything they wanted,” said Gomes-McNabb, who broke up the proposed pure oval geometry to make it work in every possible angle. “It flows and the bar actually is very functional because you can get full bar service to every area. We couldn’t make it any bigger because of the space, but we couldn’t make it any smaller because it wouldn’t be functional.” There were a few non-negotiables in the design. The Fritz Hansen Series 7 chairs had to stay. They last, and remind people of the Stokehouse, was the argument. Mirrors had to be incorporated somewhere, and the way the floor plan flows, with the long dining room has always worked well. Gomes-McNabb designed the striking tubular chandeliers, then had Mark Douglass build the finished pieces which totalled 2400 individual glass rods. There’s a slight pink wash giving a gentle colour gradation, and at night the overhead lights can change colour and take over the hue. As a quasi-good luck charm, the walls are clad in rough sawn pine that was all recycled timber from a fire break. “That’s why it’s got huge holes in it,” said Gomes-McNabb. “They bought a whole forest row and chopped it up. Because we’re using huge logs, we couldn’t just say, ‘I only want it to be this wide.’ Still, it’s actually quite beautiful with all the different lengths.”

Each of the three Stokehouse spaces has its own audio zone and coverage requirements. Pontoon hosts DJs from Thursday to Saturday nights, and the upstairs restaurant also needs the ability to cater for small bands, or speech presentations with clear audio throughout both spaces. Paper Fish needs low level background music in a discreet visual solution that matched the casual vibe of the outdoor space. Jason Rooney from Eventcraft worked with the NAS Projects Team to design the ultimate audio system for the new Stokehouse. d&b audiotechnik speakers were chosen for both the Pontoon and fine dining spaces. To compliment the look of the venue, the decision was made to go with ‘DJ trolleys’ in which three d&b 18S subwoofers are mounted. Two d&b Y7P speakers hang from ceiling brackets at the far end of both areas for high quality reproduction of music and speech with the ability to throw the length of the room. d&b 5S speakers are neatly ceiling mounted on custom-made brackets throughout Pontoon, and the larger 8S speakers similarly nested inside ceiling cavities above the fine dining restaurant. For events, DJ performances, or speeches, these ceiling speakers act as time-delayed reinforcements for the Y7Ps to ensure intelligible sound is relayed to room’s far end with coherent phase. Both rooms were acoustically modelled with d&b’s ArrayCalc software to ensure ample audio coverage throughout. Direct exposure to saltwater spray makes the Paper Fish eating area as harsh as it gets when it comes to loudspeaker environments. NAS suggested the extremely weather-resistant SoundTube XT850 models to service this area. Not only does the XT850 do a great job handling tough outdoor atmospheres, its unique enclosure meant Jason could install the speakers discreetly between rocks and benches for better visual appeal. Trent Alexander, Project Manager for venue owner Van Haandel Group, is delighted with the final outcome. “We wanted a top-of-the-range system that could facilitate any client requirements without the need to bump in additional gear. The result is better than we expected. We’ve used it for weddings, launches, and other functions that require speeches. The system in Pontoon sounds great turned up when the DJs come in to play. Frank [Van Haandel, the Group boss] was pleasantly surprised at how rich and warm the sound was throughout the building. It’s very even coverage without hot spots and cold spots.” NAS (d&b, SoundTube): 1800 441 440 or sales@nationalaudio.com.au Eventcraft: 0408 475 964 or www.eventcraft.com.au

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Ultra lightweight: Only 5.6kg per cabinet, 60mm thin Seamless Design: Fast locks on left & right /top & bottom Easy maintenance: Any LED module can be independently connected Super High Definition: High refresh rate and high contrast, auto brightness controlling • Widest View Angle: 160° horizontal and 14° vertical • Noiseless: Fanless aluminium heat sink

DOUBLE SIDED LED DISPLAY • LARGE FORMAT WINDOW DISPLAY • FLEXIBLE CURVE LED DISPLAY • LED SCOREBOARD DISPLAY All Aurora LED are stringently factory QC tested and where relevant waterproof tested and shake tested. Stock is held locally at Westan’s network of warehouses and support is provided locally by the Westan Support team.

Westan will provide the best possible after sales service including • Free technical training courses of software • Within two-year quality guarantee period • Online and local phone support service and where necessary onsite warranty

FAMILY BEACH HOUSE Hugh van Haandel, son of Frank, has been working in hospitality since he was a bus boy at 14. He worked his way up from there, with stints in the bar, on the floor, and after heading overseas for a year, came back with a new vigour for the family business. He’s now the manager of the upstairs restaurant. While he was involved as a ‘fly on the wall’ in a fair part of the process, he resolutely puts the design decisions in the court of his father and the architects and designers. “At the end of the day it is primarily his venue and his concept, which he tries to deliver,” Hugh said of his father. “He’s got a strong executive team who tease out a lot of different ideas. They’ve got a really good understanding of what materialities work. They really do worry about every little detail — the stitching on the couches, glass elements, durability — it’s well thought out. It might take a little while to reach a decision but they know when they get there.” Hugh’s attention is primarily directed at what’s happening on the floor. “Being situated on the beach, you allude to that in the style of the room,” he explained. “It’s chic and elegant, but it’s pared back. That same ethos translates to the service. It’s sharp, it’s smart, it’s attentive but it’s also pared back with a relaxed, fun, energetic vibe you’d expect when you come to the beach.” If you do find yourself wandering down St Kilda Beach, Hugh said the best time to go is just before sunset. “The transition to night time is one of the main aspects here,” he said. “You go from the sun setting, then once it hits pitch black the lighting in here is all soft and coloured. It’s one of the best parts of the day.” There’s just no way around it — Stokehouse belongs on the beach. CONTACTS Pascale Gomes-McNabb: pascale@pasclaegomesmcnabb.com.au Mark Douglass (Chandeliers): 0414 540 110 or info@markdouglassdesign.com Cult Design (Fritz Hansen): 1300 768 626 or info@cultdesign.com.au District (Matiazzi Osso Stool): (03) 9654 1060 or district.com.au

When Image Matters

Low Light Events Specialist Amazing image even at 30x optical zoom Lumens VC-A60S • 30x optical zoom • 0.1 lux operation • 1080p 50/60 • SDI/DVI Connectivity

+61 (0)3 9005 9861 www.corsairsolutions.com.au

Alex The Great ALEX&Co.: 330 Church St, Parramatta NSW www.alexandco.com.au

CONTACTS Vision Joinery & Projects: visionjoinery.net.au Southern Hospitality (Equipment): southernhospitality.com.au

AUDIO: PARTY TIME

The vision for entertainment was ambitious. More than an eatery for office workers to grab a salad, Alex&Co would party into the night. There were a number of factors conspiring against this vision. First up were the residents directly above the venue. George Wei of Acoustic Logic was called in to determine what if anything could be done. The existing ceiling and air conditioning were pulled out and replaced with some serious acoustic treatment to prevent the transmission of audio the the levels above. The a/c was then replaced. The council also were reasonably officious. Dave Coxon of DJW Projects installed a sound system that did its best to ensure sound stayed within Alex&Co and not out into the street. This attention to detail by Alexander & Co architect Jeremy Bull has resulted in a venue that can trade with DJ and lighting into the wee small hours of the morning without disturbing the neighbours. Sound system was supplied as beefy EAW MK series cabinets (8 x EAW MK 8196, 4 x EAW SB120 subs), Powersoft M50Q amplifiers, and Symetrix EX processing. Lighting control was C-Bus system for the general lighting with LSC EKO 20A theatre dimmers for the outdoor heaters. Venue control was provided on an iPad and smartphone by AMX. Cisco WAPs and wi-fi ensured solid wireless performance. Audio, LSC, IT, wi-fi network and security were all supplied and installed by DJW Projects. DJW Projects: (02) 9114 9993 or djwprojects.com.au PAVT (EAW, Powersoft, Symetrix): (03) 9264 8000 or www.pavt.com.au

ead west towards the bright lights of Parramatta and find yourself at ALEX&Co., a new multi-space dining and drinking playground. The restaurant, bar and cafe is riding the new wave of wining and dining taking over Parramatta. Costing $2.5m, the venue seats 350 people over 600sqm. Health food store entrepreneur Alex Aslan has made his first foray into hospitality, and looked close to home to set up his new project. “I know Parramatta well, as it was a part of my childhood, and so I knew the potential of the area and what it can truly offer the locals and beyond,” Aslan explains.

day, ALEX&Co. is open for business. “The interior of ALEX&Co. is designed to make you feel welcome,” says Aslan. “We paid a lot of attention to creating a balance between luxe, warmth and accessibility so that people from all walks of life feel appreciated and connected to our offerings, in our surrounds. A huge part of the experience is that everything we do, from the kitchen to the front of house experience is on display. ALEX&Co. is a showpiece for those who love to dine and drink in an interactive environment.”

ALL DAY EVERY DAY

Parramatta’s moment has arrived, with the city’s western hub attracting big-name developments and new leisure venues opening all the time. The suburb seems to be winning the race to be Sydney’s ‘second CBD’, accelerated by the arrival of the long-awaited Parramatta Square development. 180,000sqm of new office space will bring jobs and workers back to the west, eventually reversing the daily commuter exodus. Keep your eyes on the west. — Lucie Robson

ALEX&Co. occupies three retail spaces on the ground floor of the new 54-level Meriton Altitude tower. The facade is open to the streetscape on one side and to attractive views of the Parramatta River on another. The space is open-plan, bright and airy, with smooth marble and polished timber providing for a semi-alfresco experience — just in time for the long summer evenings… and mornings, and lunchtime, with space for live music performances as well. All day, every

WEST’S TIME IS NOW

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OUR E PERTISE IS YOUR ADVANTAGE

New Beat Nightclub Zouk has been a fixture of Singapore nightlife since the early â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s. Zouk has now relocated to Clarke Quay. Zouk Singapore: zoukclub.com

ouk is a Singapore clubbing institution. In recent years it’s moved out of private hands and is owned and operated by Genting Hong Kong, an affiliate of Genting Singapore. It’s also moved sites and has been given a new lease on life. Housed within Clarke Quay’s Cannery Block and spanning two floors, the new Zouk complex includes signature dance stages Zouk and Phuture, which stretch across 631sqm and 267sqm, respectively. In an exciting twist, though, the new home allows the two to merge to create one large superclub, which comes into play when the biggest events take place and the most popular artists perform. The venues within the venue are separated by soundproofed operable double walls. As well as Zouk and Phuture, the new complex houses the recently launched restaurant and bar, Red Tail, and a fourth concept. Despite the new ownership, a number of historic elements remain intact at Zouk Singapore. Firstly, interior and concept designer, Phillips Connor of Independent Concepts — who has been involved with redevelopments of Zouk since the late ‘90s — was back on board. The concept of the new spaces revolves around the idea of evolution in the music scene and club culture, initially demonstrated by the overarching neo-industrial and futuristic aesthetic, inspired by the underground rave clubs and refurbished warehouses in New York and Berlin. “Evolution is the theme and the overall concept of the design of this new space, so we wanted to play with the idea of a space that is dynamic and versatile. While its predecessor is known for four distinct yet independent outlets, the relocation has provided us with the opportunity to break down the barriers of standalone spaces to inject flexibility and coherence to the signature outlets without losing the essence of both Zouk and Phuture,” said Phillips.

MOTHERSHIP HAS LANDED Mimicking the original venue, clubbers enter Zouk through a tunnel, the new one purposely lit and sculptured in a dramatic fashion to offer guests a glimpse of what lies ahead. The answer? The mothership (or UFO as it is also referred to) — a modular sculpture with a kinetic laser light system, based on a decagon configuration dressed with LED technology and narrow beam mini moving lights. The centrepiece is suspended above the dancefloor and was realised by Barcelona-based lighting design firm, LEDSCONTROL, with the idea of creating a sensational focal point that could bring about cosmic immersion of light and dance. “We approached this project by constantly asking ourselves how can we create an icon for Zouk, how can we create a standout piece that will be representative of the club’s new home while retaining its identity,” said Rebeca Sanchez Pastor, Co-Founder and Director of LEDsCONTROL. “It was not an easy feat creating a centrepiece worthy of the unique identity that the club has amassed over the years. But when we did, the result was this out-of-this-world structure that I’m sure has never been done before. I am extremely excited to showcase this explosion of light that the UFO and mothership-like structure was made for, to all Zouk fans.” Designed to be likened to a central mothership of lights, the structure is surrounded by eight perimeter pieces shaped like arrows that are in-

tended to draw in the crowd. It features more than 120 light patterns across a 360º view, resulting in an infinite array of lighting combinations. “We liked the idea of creating a multi-narrow-beam forest that would give the sensation that you are the inside of an illuminated effect, surrounded by sculptural pieces in which the light is embedded,” Rebeca continued. Miquel Clot, also Co-Founder and Director of LEDsCONTROL added: “The technology embedded in the sculptural pieces — the mothership and eight perimeter pieces — are based on digital LED strips and LED dots, so everything can run calmly and smoothly, if or when the moment requires. Along with the hardware, we have also developed a program that caters to different moods and music styles — something that can tell different stories during the night and is able to portray a multifaceted functionality for different events. Of course, we also liked the idea of a design that looks beautiful even when not functioning, hence the structural design of the mothership.” A total of 850 metres of digital LED strip RGBW — which has individual control across every 8.5cm as a single pixel — is embedded in the central mothership structure that measures seven metres in diameter. While the eight perimeter pieces, each 4.5m by 5m features 3500 RGB pixel dots. These are controlled via Madrix LUNA 4/8/16 Art-Net nodes and Madrix software packages with their accompanying keys. “The patch in the Madrix system was very complex as the perimeter pieces are all not configured in the same way. We had to select pixel by pixel to create the shape in Madrix. In total, we have more than 120 DMX universes created just for the LEDs.” Intelligent moving lights are also hidden in and around the mothership, these include: 32 ADJ Event Bar PROs — a four-head pinspot system distributed inside the structure and act as the main beams for the venue; as well as eight ADJ Asteroid 1200 spherical LED lights and 16 Robe miniPointes. Completing the line-up of moving lights are Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s, Clay Paky Alpha Spot 300s, Elation ACL 360 Bars, Martin by Harman Rush MH8s, and Robe DL4s on the balcony perimeter.

LIGHTING CONTROL An MA Lighting grandMA2 Light console is in place to control the intelligent lighting fixtures. Rebeca explained the reason for the choice: “As one of the top clubs in the world, Zouk Singapore is very active in bringing in the big names from the dance music scene, so we recommended using a lighting console features regularly on international riders. Of course, we also took into consideration that it was a console that could fulfil the needs of the venue.” A Chamsys MagicQ MQ100 Pro desk and a Chamsys MagicQ MQ60 console are also in place at Zouk. LEDsCONTROL was also responsible for the LED backdrop for the DJ booth. Crafted in organic fluid forms of concrete as a nod to Zouk’s heritage, the DJ console sits in the centre of the front stage and between three VIP seating pods, offering an overlooking view of the dancefloor. The central LED screen behind the DJ booth measures 4m by 3m with a pitch of 3.91mm and is flanked by three strips — each measuring 0.25m by 3m — which feature a halo effect to illuminate the brick wall that sits as the backdrop of the DJ console. There is a perimeter LED screen that runs around the venue below the

balcony — on the second floor — and measures 50m by 1m and a pitch of 10mm. And a further three LEDs screen located at three of the five bars throughout the Zouk venue. Rexx Lim furthered: “For the routing of the system, we used the Extron XTP Crosspoint system along with the Barco ImagePRO II video scaler that is installed into the system to support the requirements in today’s fast-moving visual technology landscape. For transmission and receiving of signals, we go through a twisted pair and fibreoptic I/O boards to deliver end-to-end capability for extending 4K video along with audio, control and Ethernet over a single cable.” The Akai APC40 VJ console utilises Resolume Arena 5 to control content. “Live video can be captured through a Panasonic HD PTZ HE130 camera and fed through all screens across the club,” continued Rexx. “Scene previewing is carried out via a Datavideo TLM monitor.” A Green Hippo Hippotizer Amba has also been installed to support the different needs required for various events and this is done by having a capture card ready built in to allow for a mix between live feed and visual displays. Additionally, 14 Martin by Harman Atomic 3000 LED strobes have been installed at the back of the DJ booth. Miquel commented: “We enjoyed the use of the Martin Atomic 3000 LEDs, which can be as powerful as the Atomic 3000 DMX, but the added RGB detail on the reflector make it very versatile and interesting in its display.” Nowadays, not so many nightclub brands have the heritage that Zouk has, with more then two decades in the business. It has survived in what some would describe as an overcrowded nightlife scene in Singapore and now in its new home, it is wowing both the dedicated original fans of Zouk, as well as the new generation of clubbers. Article re-printed with the kind permission of Mondo DR. LEDsCONTROL: ledscontrol.com Show Technology (Martin, Clay Paky): (02) 9748 1122 or www.showtech.com.au Jands (Robe): (02) 9582 0909 or www.jands.com.au ULA (Chamsys): 1300 852 476 or ulagroup.com

BESPOKE AUDIO

Th audio comprises a re-installation of the original sound system custom created by the renowned, late audio engineer, Gary Stewart. Technical Manager at Zouk Singapore, Rexx Lim explained how they went about the move: “The brief in the new venue was to make it simple, minimise the chain of processing and reduce audio latency for the GSA system. The design process started one year before the move to Clarke Quay. The process included looking into cable quality, cable routing to optimise the performance, designing the signal processing, modelling of GSA loudspeaker placement from EASE by partnering with our appointed system integrator.” On the dancefloor at Zouk, four GSA stacks have been reinstalled. Each stack comprises twin 1000W 18-inch subwoofers, a quad 3600W 15-inch cabinet, and twin acoustic lens HF/UHF midrange horn loaded with two coaxial neodymium compression drivers. Four GSA custom-built bullet tweeter arrays are also flown over the dancefloor. With the move, the decision was made to upgrade the amplifiers to drive the stacks. Rexx and the team tested a number of different brands but selected Powersoft as the best for the job — nine X4 four-channel amplifiers. Rexx continued: “The Powersoft X Series has a warm, open sound with enormous power, and complements the custom GSA speaker system perfectly. It has really helped amp it up, allowing the loudspeaker system to perform better than ever.” For live mixing capabilities, a DiGiCo SD11 has been installed. It was chosen for its excellent function to size ratio. It has all the features required to manage the live performances at Zouk and can be set up quickly and easily as needed, yet is compact enough to store when it’s not in use. “We also have an iPad remote app that allows us to connect to the console through a wireless system, so we can tweak the settings from anywhere within the venue,” said Rexx. To complete the audio line-up, Rexx equipped the DJ booth with six L-Acoustics KARA loudspeakers and four L-Acoustics SB18 subwoofers to extend the low frequency, as well as a Lake LM26 processor and industry standard Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus 2 multiplayers and a DJM-900 Nexus 2 DJ mixer. TAG (QSC): (02) 9519 0900 or info@tag.com.au PAVT (Powersoft): (03) 9264 8000 or pavt.com.au Hills (L-Acoustics): 1300 445 571 or www.hills.com.au

THE PADDINGTON

Merivale Group, Sydney

24 Moons Alumbra The Arthouse Hotel Australian Outback Spectacular The Bank Hotel The Botanical Bungalow 8 Brisbane Hotel (Perth) Club Marconi Discovery Establishment Half Moon Hornsby RSL Ivy Katuk Kudu Lounge Luxe Bar The Mean Fiddler The Met Oxford Art Factory Slip Inn

ROYAL FLUSH Chinese chow and classy cocktails headline this Merivale suburban makeover. Story: Christopher Holder Queens Hotel: 167 Enmore Road, Enmore (02) 9240 3000 or www.merivale.com/queenshotel

AUDIO: QUEENS’ ENGLISH

Justin Hemmes is renowned for his attention to the minute detail of every aspect of his venues. Audio is a particular passion for him, where he demands the best and for every patron to experience the highest quality of sound. Martin Audio CCD6 compact loudspeakers do most of the work. They’re a primo install model with an innovative waveguide that ensures a more even spread of high frequencies — regardless of whether you’re directly under the speaker or some distance away. Each loudspeaker is addressed by its own amp channel to maximise control and the fine-tuning of sound in the room. QSC amplification is used throughout. Justin and his team involved the audio installers and his long-time audio confidant, Technical Audio Group’s Technical Director Anthony Russo, early, to help guarantee the best results. For example, the Martin Audio subwoofers are meticulously and entirely surreptitiously concealed in the cabinetry of the fitout. It’s a beautiful job and provides superior results. With the density of loudspeaker coverage, no single speaker needs to be overworked, the entire system purrs effortlessly, stretching its legs just as easily when required. Technical Audio Group (Martin Audio, QSC): (02) 9519 0900 or info@tag.com.au

ther Sydney operators must being getting tired of reading the headline: Merivale Does it Again. Owning some of the more prominent late night venues in Sydney’s CBD, including The Ivy and The Establishment, Merivale boss Justin Hemmes could have easily lamented the unpopular lockout laws like everyone else. Instead, he’s activating the ’burbs, schuzzing up Paddington, the inner west, and beyond. Until Merivale took control, the Queens Hotel in Enmore was just another working man’s beer and TAB boozer. Now it’s a genuine suburban oasis. Food leads the charge downstairs. Completely revamped to appear as if it hasn’t changed in 100 years, the ground floor Queens Chow bistro serves some of the best Asian food in the west.

MORE CHOW Queen Chow’s dim sum menu is captained by the revered Eric Koh, regarded as one of the greatest dim sum masters in the world. Bringing with him 30 years’ experience including tenures at Mr. Wong and Work in Progress, as well as London’s Michelin-starred Hakkasan and Yauatcha, Eric has made the artistry of dim sum his life’s work. He will be feeding Enmore’s hungry masses his famous steamed, baked and fried dumplings for lunch, dinner and late night supper. Upstairs, things become curiouser and curiouser. The Smelly Goat cocktail bar is great fun, the perfect venue to delve down a rabbit hole of innovative takes on cocktail classics. The expansive two-level venue has been transformed by a design team including Justin and Bettina Hemmes, Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative and stylist Amanda Talbot. With dark stained timbers, rubbed back finishes and a long timber bar with zinc top, the ground floor is made up of bar seating and leather banquettes, before it opens to a quaint kitchen courtyard shadowed by a canopy tree and staghorns. Upstairs in The Smelly Goat, fabric-lined chinoiserie walls with black timber panelling and silk wall sconces create an intimate salon feel, while the hand-carved onyx bar top, hand-painted mural (by 8 Foot Walls) and curated taxidermy bird boxes evoke a sense of 1930s glamour. With a green and off-white checkered tiled floor, the adjoining enclosed terrace is filled with colourful rattan chairs and tables and hanging pots of native orchids. The Queens Hotel does a splendid job at whisking its patrons away to somewhere more exotic. In a cheek-by-jowl suburb, here’s a pub that provides a sense of calm sophistication. Great fun, sure, but a venue that keeps itself nice.

Avant Garde Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I use my Netflix account on the TV?! One hotel is meeting the tech needs of millennials. Story: Christopher Holder Jazz Corner Hotel: 352 William St, Melbourne VIC (03) 9454 9000 or www.jazzcornerhotel.com

HOW DO I DEPLOY NETFLIX?

One Perth-based AV integrator, the PSQ Group, is leading the way in closing the gap between guest expectations and hotel experiences, using Philips’ range of specialist hotel TVs to get us there. Ben Donaldson, Director of the PSQ Group explains the challenges unique to the hotels market: “We work with around 40 hotels across Australia and the demands we hear are now almost always the same: hotels are looking to deploy Netflix and YouTube options so guests can easily procure their own in-room content. “But mostly, no one has thought through the security and privacy issues. It’s great that I can use my hotel TV like I would my TV at home but I’d be horrified to learn that the next guest might see all my YouTube browsing history, or access my credit card details, or — as I’ve heard happen in certain hotels overseas — to think that I’m inadvertently streaming content to a screen in a neighbouring room! “The best hotel TVs are from Samsung and Philips, and we work with both. They provide the flexible integration pieces you need to meet those challenges. For example, having the TV automatically reset to its factory configuration when a guest checks out, meaning the next guest can enter details without fear of their private information being retained or their browsing history shared. “Those hotel TVs also allow us to design a system where guests can securely stream content from their device over wi-fi to the TV. It’s not news to be able to stream content to a TV, but as an integrator you need to ensure the wi-fi access point knows to only stream content from the Mac address of the guest’s device and not the device in a room next door. “All this can be a massive integration issue for hotel operators but it’s all now currently achievable to deliver that experience. Saying that, it does take the input of someone who knows how these things come together.” PSQ Group: 1300 881 840 or www.psqgroup.com.au

n a world where hotels are doing their level best to exceed expectations it seems the hardest expectation to meet is the one delivered in the client’s living room. I’m regularly underwhelmed by a hotel’s tech. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve done a zombie walk around my room, smartphone in hand, sync cord dangling, trying to find a USB port before I completely run out of charge. I’ve had my phone hanging off the side of a TV’s USB port trying to eke out a few percent. I’ve gone to dock my phone into the hi-fi puck next to my bed only to find the connector is about four generations out of date. I’ve gone to use the TV that’s redundantly displaying my name (I know who I am, I don’t need a TV to tell me) but takes me about five button presses to find a TV station. I have a modicum of sympathy for hotels. Trying to stay up to date technologically is like trying to wash your hands under a 2.5-star hotel’s water-saving tap. It evaporates before you feel anything. In other words, chances are your in-room entertainment experience will be inferior to what you enjoy everyday in your front room, where you think nothing of watching Netflix on demand and ‘mirror casting’ content from a device to your TV. The Jazz Corner Hotel in Melbourne has taken a different approach that’s clicked with millennials. It’s combining a serviced apartments-style of accommodation with a serious technology backbone.

THAT’S JAZZ Having already launched a world-class jazz club (Bird’s Basement) in the sub level of an adjoining premise, the hotel sees property developer Ubertas (helmed by jazz guitarist Albert Dadon) take over a commercial building in William Street, transforming it into a block of jazz-themed serviced apartments. Each apartment generously features one Philips hotel TV in the lounge and one in the bedroom. The Jazz Corner Hotel has invested in the IT/ AV infrastructure that sees each room fully IPconnected. And, when complete, the hotel entertainment system will allow guests to use the in-room TVs to order food from any of the four house restaurants, book tickets to Bird’s Basement shows after being exposed to high-productionvalue club promotion video (think: Vegas casino hotels), live stream shows from the jazz club, and avail themselves of the latest entertainment opportunities.

It’s great that I can use my hotel TV like I would my TV at home but I’d be horrified to learn that I’m inadvertently streaming content to a screen in a neighbouring room! HIGH EXPECTATIONS High quality hotels have refined their offering over generations. Anticipating a guest’s every desire is a skill honed with a resolute attention to detail and commitment to their comfort and pleasure. So in recent times, technology has really been a ‘fly’ in the hotel’s satisfaction rating ‘ointment’. For the guest, plugging in a device, recharging, streaming, downloading… it’s all as natural as breathing. So why can’t my favourite hotel accommodate my needs?! As we’ve heard from PSQ’s Ben Donaldson elsewhere this story, increasingly they can but it’s deceptively tricky. Products like Philips’ hotel TVs are certainly leading the way. Not necessarily because of the usual headline features such as resolutions, contrast, brightness, or bezel width. It’s in the display’s ability to integrate, update, monitor and control.

NO. 1 COMPLAINT: WHERE’S MY WI-FI? ANDROID: A NEW GEN OF HOTEL TV

Okay Ben, what’s the secret to complaint-free hotel wi-fi? Ben Donaldson, PSQ Group: “We only use the wall-plate solutions in room. The hotels that still put access points in corridors are flirting with danger. “What’s more, we only put in Cisco WAPs into an IP in-room environment. We don’t get calls from guests who can’t see the wi-fi… we might get three or four calls a year from the big hotels. Every room has a wallplate WAP. No one knows it’s there and it delivers signal into each room. “The biggest issue with wi-fi is congestion. We recently did a site survey for a hotel in Darling Harbour — something we routinely do even when we’re installing wall plates into every room. The survey map showed 2500 other access points in that immediate vicinity. When it’s that congested you need a strong signal. “From there it comes down to the link to your building. Jazz Club Hotel has Telstra fibre and the bandwidth into the room isn’t an issue. Instead you need to ensure you have a throttling control, so one guest can’t singlehandedly chew up all the bandwidth.”

The unique feature of Philips hotel TVs is their Android operating system that runs natively on the display. Unlike traditional display networks where the operating system sits on a media server in a rack — which allows content to be pushed to the screen via an IP network — running the Android OS in the display means apps can be pushed to the hotel TV using Philips’ CMND Display Management Platform. Ben Donaldson: “Pushing content, such as MPEG video or HTML5 isn’t new, but pushing full-blown apps out, and to have those apps come up as options when you boot up your TV or select a certain channel? That’s new. Because it’s an Android platform, if the content manager doesn’t have a certain feature natively, we can go to the Philips TV management platform and push applications out to the screens. Sky’s the limit. ‘What do you want written?’ You might want to add in-room lighting management, ‘okay, we’ll write that and push it out to the TVs’. For example, at the Jazz Corner Hotel, we can push a room service app to the TVs. That’s something new.” Westan (Philips): 1300 963 963 or www.westan.com.au

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Rock Out We head to Tenerife to check into a hotel that takes sound very seriously indeed. Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife: www.hardrockhotels.com/tenerife

fter the successful launch of Europe’s very first Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza back in May 2014, it was only a matter of time before the Palladium Hotel Group and Hard Rock International team up again for an encore performance. This time around, they have created a second European hotel on the Spanish island of Tenerife. Opened in late 2016, Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife is located on the southern coast near Adeje and offers five-star facilities and services to its guests, all while maintaining the immersive music environment that is synonymous with the Hard Rock brand. Divided across two towers — Oasis and Nirvana — are a total of 624 rooms, including 266 suites, which combine contemporary design and high-end amenities with Hard Rock International’s fascinating collection of priceless music memorabilia, which are all displayed throughout the hotel.

The guests at the hotel are spoilt for choice when it comes to the leisure options, with three pools, a natural salt water lagoon, the Rock spa, Body Rock gym, kids and teens clubs and even a 620sqm convention centre, which can host up to 525 people for meetings, events and conferences. There are a huge selection of culinary delights to be enjoyed at Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife, too, with six restaurants from around the world, including traditional Spanish tapas, an Asian restaurant, a steakhouse, an all-day buffet, Tex-Mex offerings at the sports bar and, of course, The Beach Club. Elsewhere, there are a further six bars serving the guests refreshments, including the rooftop sky lounge bar, which offers truly breath-taking views of Tenerife, including Teide, Europe’s highest volcanic cone and Spain’s tallest mountain.

OPEN AIR What really makes Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife stand out, though, is the open-air live music area that is just steps away from the property. With a total capacity of 5000, the stage is able to play host to all kinds of acts, turning the hotel into a live music venue. With such a wide range of varied facilities, Palladium Hotel Group and Hard Rock International had to ensure the audio setup was perfect for each individual area. The immersive audio experience is where Bose come in, with the manufacturer working alongside Privium Solutions to provide the sound throughout the hotel, from the lobby and rooms right through to the restaurants and spa — as well as the open-air live music area. Danny Gomez, PR & Sponsoring Manager at Palladium Hotel Group, takes up the story: “It first started three years ago in Ibiza, where we managed to make a deal with Hard Rock International, offering them the opportunity to launch the first Hard Rock Hotel in Europe, which was a very big success. What we managed to bring into the Hard Rock Hotel concept was not just experience relating to the rock bands, pop stars and memorabilia, but also the experience of live bands playing on stage. “When they came to Ibiza and saw what we were doing, they understood this was possible. What we like in new products is to take the experience of the client a step further. For example, if you are enjoying a top holiday in locations like Ibiza and Tenerife, you can now have a great band performing for you on stage in your hotel, too.” Bose saw this an opportunity to use its brand new ShowMatch loudspeakers, which feature DeltaQ next-generation array technology, offering the ability to build traditional (J-array or constant curvature) and DeltaQ array configurations, allowing both portable/rental and installed applications to deploy selectable coverage control. DeltaQ originates from the ability to change directivity or ‘Q’ for each array module. When combined in an array, acoustic energy is highly focussed and can be matched to audience areas more accurately. This is an advancement from traditional line arrays, which typically have significantly less pattern control.

DELTA BRAVO The team at Bose felt that the ShowMatch loudspeakers would be a perfect fit for the open-air stage at Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife, as Fuat Koro, Director of Global Sales & Marketing at Bose, explained.

In keeping with the tradition, the opening party featured Hard Rock’s legendary ‘Guitar Smash’

“We’re very excited about our DeltaQ technology and we’re looking at this project as the start of the next several years — we’re going to be doing a lot more in terms of live music applications. We feel there’s been a shift from recorded to live music and there’s definitely an important role for Bose to provide a better experience in that market.” “Live music sound reinforcement hasn’t really changed in the last 10 to 15 years as the underlying line array technologies have somewhat stabilised. So, we like to think that we’re ushering in the next generation compared to typical line array products — that’s why it’s such an exciting time to be here,” added Fuat. Bose, working with Privium Solutions and Hard Rock, created the perfect open-air performance area at Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife, using 12 Bose ShowMatch SM 5 DeltaQ array loudspeakers and two ShowMatch SM 10 DeltaQ array loudspeakers for the stage, along with 16 ShowMatch SM S118 array subwoofers in total. For the DJ monitor, there are three ShowMatch SM 20 loudspeakers and one more ShowMatch SM S118 Array subwoofer. There are also six Powersoft X8 amplifiers with Dante used to power the Bose loudspeakers.

MACHO MACHO SOUND Palladium Hotel Group and Hard Rock International put the Bose ShowMatch loudspeakers through their paces with their ‘Children of the ’80s’ grand opening party in December 2016. Bringing the spirit of the 1980s to Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife’s open-air stage, the party offered an extravaganza of dancefloor fillers and sing-along classics to the guests at the hotel.

Performing live at the event were the Village People, who reeled off their disco classics including ‘In the Navy’, ‘Macho Man’ and ‘Y.M.C.A’; Italian trio, Blackbox, creators of the 1989 best-selling record ‘Ride on Time’; American dance-pop and hip hop group C+C Music Factory, known for a string of hit singles including ‘Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)’ and ‘Things That Make You Go Hmmm’; African artist, Rozalla of dancefloor classic ‘Everybody’s Free’; and DJ trio Dream Team Reload, fresh from their Ibiza season. In keeping with the tradition of all Hard Rock hotels across the globe, the opening party also featured Hard Rock’s legendary ‘Guitar Smash’ to officially mark the Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife’s arrival.

CAR PARK TO LOBBY There were challenges right across the hotel, with each specific area needing an audio system that suited the design and individual atmosphere, as Hans Vereecken, Sales Manager EMEA at Bose, explained: “We worked with Privium Solutions to design the perfect audio system throughout the whole hotel, but not in the usual way of a manufacturer simply supplying the equipment — we set out to create a real experience for the guests. That is not just supplying loudspeakers, it’s making sure that the sound is the same high-quality wherever you are in the hotel. For example, if you leave the restaurant, you will still be able to hear and experience that perfect sound on the balcony or wherever you go. “When there’s an event going on, you can hear the live music from the event in the lobby or your room if you want to, so you get to experience the

event that is going on as soon as you arrive or walk around the hotel. I think it’s that kind of detail that made Bose such an attractive option for Hard Rock, so we had to make that a reality.” The coverage and quality of sound at Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife is certainly something that strikes guests, with music in the background as soon as you arrive at the car park with 20 x Bose FreeSpace DS16SE loudspeakers providing the sound. As you enter into the lobby and lobby bar, 20 Bose FreeSpace DS40F loudspeakers are used to provide background music. The DS40F loudspeaker is used extensively in the hotel, with the flushmount speaker providing background and foreground music in a whole host of areas – highlighting its versatility. In the main buffet restaurant, 26 x DS40F loudspeakers, with a Bose ControlSpace ESP CC-16 zone controller, were specified to provide the right level of background sound for the guests. In the hotel’s snack bar, another four DS 40F loudspeakers are paired with two Bose FreeSpace DS100SE loudspeakers. Also, the DS100SE is used to great effect on the terrace and in the terrace bar, with 12 of the loudspeakers providing the perfect ambience for guests enjoying their food and drinks throughout the day and into the evening. This article is reproduced with the kind permission of Mondo DR.

Bose Professional: www.bose.pro.com PAVT (Powersoft): (03) 9264 8000 or www.pavt.com.au

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See Me Raw Hana: 212 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC hanarestaurant.com.au

ention you’re heading to a Hawaiian restaurant and the reaction is always the same: a look of bewilderment followed by a funny-looking smile. “Sounds like fun.” Yes. Hana is fun. Not cheesy-tacky fun, more a playful kinda fun. The cocktails are great fun. All tiki focused and named after beaches and waterfalls on Maui, like the ‘Twin Falls Jungle Bird’. My favourite is the ‘Honolua Bay Sharknado’, a mix of dark rum, Cointreau, passionfruit, lime, orange and orgeat (a sweet syrup, almost like liquid marzipan), served in a shark’s head tiki glass — try taking yourself seriously sipping on a ceramic white pointer. The food is as fresh as it is delectable, with a focus on raw fish and share plates. Head Chef, Mario Manabe, was raised in Hawaii, was classically trained and worked as Curtis Stone’s sous chef for four years in both the United States and Australia, before collaborating with owner, Matteo Bruno on Hana. “Working with Mario in what I believe to be Melbourne’s first Hawaiian restaurant has been incredible. He is a serious talent and we can’t wait to showcase our menu to Melbourne and beyond,” says Matteo.

CONTACTS Samantha Eades: samanthaeades.com MIC Projects: micprojects.com.au

Once occupied by Hairy Canary, the site has been transformed by Samantha Eades (refurbishment at Chin Chin, fitouts at Hawker Hall and The Meatball & Wine Bar on Flinders Lane), who worked closely with Matteo and builders MIC Projects. Neon pink illuminates the ceilings and walls, interspersed with custom made Monstera-leaf wallpaper and pineapple shaped light fittings that lend a truly tropical vibe.

ROAD TO HANA venue spoke to Matteo about the genesis of the venue. Matteo

is best known as the owner of the Meatball & Wine Group of restaurants, so I wondered how he decided to take the punt on Hana. Matteo: I was in Hawaii last year for Mario’s wedding. The idea of bringing some of that Hawaiian atmosphere to the Melbourne CBD seemed like a good idea. I worked on a some food ideas with Mario. Over time it felt like there was enough there to have a menu with a focus on raw product. I found the site on Little Collins Street, which had been home to Hairy Canary for 21 years and went about looking for materials and a design aesthetic to evoke the feeling of a holiday destination without it being tacky in any way.

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There is a sophistication to the site and you definitely see that in the food, and the venue itself has to play off that. venue: It could have easily tipped over into tiki bar territory. Matteo: That was biggest challenge: knowing when to hold back. The materials — the brass, bamboo — and the soft pastels all work but we held back on overdoing the flower motifs. The feature neon is definitely playful and it also gives off a soft pink glow. It’s not overdone.

NO RESTAURANT IS AN ISLAND Hana is a punt. Sure, the poke bowl craze (an LA take on a Hawaiian specialty) has meant Hawaiian food is at least in the Australian foodie lexicon. But Hana is, as far as anyone can tell, the first Hawaiian restaurant in the country. Even then it’s a little like launching an Australian restaurant in Hawaii. The staff could wear cork hats and serve Fosters or you could have a modern interpretation of what it means to eat and drink in an Australian context. Hana is sophisticated interpretation. But not up itself. The Sharknado tipple makes sure of that! — Christopher Holder

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On The Way To The Forum Forum Melbourne: Flinders St & Russel St, Melbourne VIC forummelbourne.com.au

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“We engaged a leading architect to help design the kitchen. We installed state of the art equipment. And my team are some of the most talented, creative and passionate chefs I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my 20 years as a chef,” says David Ricardo, Executive Chef for The Marriner Group. The redesigned Forum Melbourne can accommodate 250– 550 for dinner, 400–1500 for cocktail events, and up to 800 for presentations.

he Forum’s problem was never its distinctive beauty. It was more its functionality. For bands and crew who have had to endure the agonising Forum load-in over the years, one picture will tell the thousand words — the Tesla on the floor. Yes, the back of house has been completely modernised. Yes, you can load in a deluxe electric car (or any other car for that matter). The kitchen has been totally revamped as well, and there’s a heavy focus on the revamped Forum’s food. It’s good. “The Forum renovation is 21 years in the making. Having lived and experienced the space for a long time, when it came to undertake the work we knew exactly what we wanted to achieve. Now complete, we’re thrilled with the outcome, and very pleased to offer the space to our patrons and guests as a first class, highly functional venue,” says Jason Marriner, CEO and Co-owner, of the Marriner Group.

PAINTING THE TILES The 12-month reno threw up some interesting heritage curve balls. But the best heritage easter egg was in the foyer. After pulling up the sticky carpet the builders discovered an

astonishing mosaic tile floor and polished marble stair case. It’s a stunner. There are now three new architecturally designed bars, 14 bespoke booths (yes, the booths have stayed put) and there are brand new polished hardwood floors throughout. The setup makes for a much greater level of flexibility — anything from renting the whole venue through to dinner or a cocktail event. The unique space has been redesigned to allow for room reveals as events progress, making the most of the renovation’s many talking points. The cutting-edge design features include hydraulic adjustable-height flooring at the rear, in place of the rear bench rows, to accommodate the needs of the many and varied events that the Forum Melbourne hosts each year. The new elevator that can accommodate the aforementioned cars into the venue allows even more scope for impressive events tailored to the Forum’s broad range of clients. Artists have been accommodated for, too, with the full renovation of green rooms and state-of-the-art stage lighting, sound and front of house rigging. These new features will be enjoyed by performers and audiences alike, ensuring the Forum stays at the forefront of live events in Melbourne.

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Legendary Chateau on the Park Christchurch: 189 Deans Ave, Christchurch, New Zealand

hristchurch is now defined by the earthquakes of 2010/11, for better or worse. The city centre is a confusion of altered traffic flow, witches hats, condemned buildings, empty blocks and scaffold. But Christchurch isn’t feeling sorry for itself. The pace of the rebuild might be frustratingly slow but every week there’s another encouraging step in the right direction; a cause for celebration. The city has embraced the earthquakes as an important piece of its story — traumatic, sure, but ‘character building’, if that makes sense. My family visited late last year and loved the place. The indomitability of it. The amazing street art was a highlight. The great coffee. Cool creative people had filled the vacuum created by the destruction and the inevitably slow pace of reconstruction — you could feel that Christchurch was a place happy to take a punt on a new idea.

MAVERICK BEGINNINGS

We stayed at Chateau on the Park Christchurch. It’s now managed by global brand Doubletree by Hilton but this hotel has been a maverick since its inception. Built back in the ’80s by an archetypical ’80s entrepreneur, in the Christopher Skase mould, the project inevitably went bust just prior to completion. It found some white-knight funding and launched as a beautiful story-book hotel set in five acres of verdant gardens. The 192-room hotel includes two food and beverage outlets, meeting rooms, a business centre, pool and gym.

During the earthquakes Chateau on the Park survived remarkably well. There was some horror-movie style oozing of liquefaction up through the drains but apart from reasonably superficial cracking the hotel stood strong. In fact, it was able to act as a refuge for those less fortunate in the days immediately after.

FEAST FOR THE SENSES More recently, Chateau on the Park Christchurch, underwent extensive renovations before re-opening as part of the DoubleTree by Hilton brand. The heart of the original design remains. The den bar is the perfect dimly-lit alamo for a nightcap, and remains a charming throwback to when hotel bars had no pretensions of being a flavour-of-the-month nightspot. The main Camelot function space, with its vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, dark timbers and giant fireplaces is perfect for your business’s Gryffindor awards night (pictured). The gardens are superb — meticulously tended and bursting with colour during our Spring stay . Oh, and there’s a moat. A moat! The wi-fi is solid, the rooms are as comfy as a fur-lined codpiece, and you’re greeted with a warm choc-chip biscuit upon check-in. So, yes, the mod-cons and service are in place but the reason why I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Christchurch and the reason why I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it for functions and events is for all the other reasons. Its enduring quirkiness that bucks the trend. Next time I’ll save up my groats and book a turret room… Forsooth!

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All Aboard: The Barangaroo Ferry Wharf required the decades of experience of The P.A. People in designing hearing loops to achieve an outstanding result. (Image: Transport for NSW)

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Hearing Augmentation: Kept in the Loop Hearing aids are undoubtedly getting better, nevertheless a hearing assist system helps ensure those with hearing difficulties are afforded every opportunity to enjoy audio amplified through an installed PA. Installing a hearing augmentation system into your venue is not only the right thing to do but it’s quite often legally mandated. Think of it as the equivalent of a wheelchair ramp for your hearing impaired patrons.

THE TECHNOLOGIES The best known and most established hearing augmentation platform is the ‘hearing loop’ or Audio Frequency Induction Loop (AFIL). It’s ideal for common areas such as train stations, theatres, lecture halls, foyers, houses of worship and others. For those with a T switch on their hearing aids it provides an independent way to have the amplified audio piped directly to their ears, without any need for staff intervention or additional hardware. The technology works via a loop of wire in the venue that carries the audio, and

if you’re situated within that loop you’re covered. Unfortunately construction steel and other metal elements impact the efficiency of a hearing loop. So it’s not enough to install the loop, ensure you use experts to best negotiate the technical aspects of the installation and get the most from the loop. Other emerging technologies can be useful when a hearing loop is impractical or they can be better for more specialised applications. WiFi hearing augmentation systems (where you can use a device to log into the audio service) are ideal for interpretation services, audio tours and the like but are no substitute for a properly installed hearing loop. FM solutions can be effective, but require the venue to maintain a quantity of beltpack receivers — serviced and powered up. Infrared is another excellent alternative. Given it works by being in the line of sight of the transmitter it provides superior security (it’s more difficult to eavesdrop than with a hearing loop), but again requires additional hardware.

Sydney’s new transport hub, the Barangaroo Ferry Wharf, opened in June 2017. The two wharves are 48m long and 23m wide and can berth eight ferries at full capacity. The P.A. People worked closely with builder McConnell Dowell to install a technically innovative, large-scale induction loop system that covers 25m by 18m of the structure, as well as individual loops that cover Help and Information points. “The P.A. People actually installed two induction loops that overlap to cover dead spots,” explained David Duong, Project Engineer at McConnell Dowell. “It was a complex installation on top of metal pontoons, fabricated from steel, which usually causes problems with induction loops.” “It’s an elaborate induction loop,” confirmed Ross Ford, Project Manager for The P.A. People. “Installing an AFIL (Audio Frequency Induction Loop) on steel has been considered to be detrimental to performance, but we have found that if you properly install, paying attention to correct insulation, it is working extremely well.” “The practical nature of The P.A. People’s understanding was beneficial to us as a builder, as they knew the issues that can arise in the building phase. That allowed us to fix those issues before they occurred, meaning that the installation went very smoothly,” said David Duong. The P.A. People was been delivering hearing augmentation solutions for well over 20 years. The company is a leader in the design and delivery of these systems. They were responsible for many of the Sydney Olympic Games venues in 2000, and have since installed solutions in The Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Town Hall and Sydney Airport. The P.A. People: (02) 8755 8700 or www.papeople.com.au

High Lumen Projectors

Designed for Exceptional Performance Epson G, Z and 4000 Series Installation Projectors are powerful performers in virtually all venues including lecture halls, bars & restaurants, houses of worship and more. These projectors utilise advanced display technology such as Edge Blending, 360 degree and corner projection and short throw lenses for flexibility. Features include: • 10,000 lumens and WUXGA resolution for bright, colourful, brilliant images • 24/7 operation for continuous and reliable use for almost any application • Versatile connectivity including HDBaseT • Easy integration with Crestron, AMX and Extron compatibility For more information vistit www.epson.com.au/installation *Compared to leading 1-chip DLP business and education projectors based on NPD data, July 2011 through June 2012. Colour brightness (colour light output) measured in accordance with IDMS 15.4. Colour brightness will vary depending on usage conditions.

NZ Outback Inn Audio Upgrade One of New Zealand’s premier entertainment venues, the Outback Inn hosts massive dance parties and performances by local DJs and touring artists, including Flux Pavilion, Twista, Peking Duk, and others. The large facility can serve as a 2000-capacity venue, or can be divided into three distinct nightclubs. Recently the owner and operator, Lawrenson Group, decided to upgrade the Outback Inn’s ageing audio system with a complete Harman audio solution. Jeffrey Van Kempen, Technical Director, Lawrenson Group: “The majority of our nightclub venues use JBL STX Series speakers and Crown XTi 2 series amplifiers with very pleasing and reliable results, even while being ran more than 20 hours a week in very harsh environments.” Jands New Zealand supplied all equipment. JBL SRX835 three-way speakers provide full-range audio, while JBL SRX828S dual 18-inch subwoofers deliver powerful low frequencies needed to stimulate the dance floor. JBL SRX815 two-way speakers satisfy the venue’s flexibility requirements, serving as monitors, front- and side-fills, or portable PA speakers. The entire system is powered by Crown XTi6002 and XTi 4002 amplifiers, and a dbx DriveRack VENU360 loudspeaker management system ensures maximum PA performance and coverage every time. A Soundcraft Si Performer 3 console takes care of the front-of-house mix in the main venue, while Soundcraft Si Impact consoles enable powerful and intuitive mixes in the smaller nightclubs. “Earlier this year we hosted Peking Duk for our first large event,” explained Van Kempen. “It was also our first real chance to run the system in its entirety and we have been blown away with its performance.” Jands: (02) 9582 0909 or www.jands.com.au

Canberra Theatre Lights Up Canberra Theatre Centre’s Canberra Theatre and The Playhouse were in need of new house lighting systems. “The existing system had really, really old Strand dimmers dimming PAR38 lamps flown in what were arguably acoustic panels at one point,” said Norman Korte, Managing Director at Sound Advice, which took care of the project. Andrew Tweedie, head electrician at the venue, wanted a solution that provided a warm colour temperature of 2700°K and a completely smooth dimming curve as he wanted to be able to produce nice long fades down to zero. Andrew was also eager to retain the look and feel of tungsten but was interested in the economic benefits of modern LED fixtures in the theatres. The venue was won over by the GDS ArcSystem of overhead LED products designed for installations where dimming, light quality, high colour rendering and ease of installation are absolutely essential. ArcSystem luminaires come in a variety of form factors, beam angles, and colour-temperature options, all with high-efficiency optics and an outstanding quality of light ideal for any application. In The Playhouse, 18 x ArcSystem Pro Four-Cell Pendants were mounted one for one in the old locations on the lighting bridges. In The Canberra Theatre, 94 x ArcSystem Pro OneCell luminaires were installed to provide high-quality light and smooth dimming with noiseless operation. Jands: (02) 9582 0909 0r www.jands.com.au

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For 20+ years, Fohhn has specialized in the development, manufacture and distribution of professional loudspeaker systems for fixed installation and mobile sound applications – perfect for corporate environments, houses of worship, airports, railway and retail. High quality, stylish loudspeaker designs with

numerous customisation options are combined with the use of in-house developed, innovative technologies such as Beam Steering, 3D audio and “AIREA” – Fohhn’s digital audio network system. Contact us for more information: fohhn@cmi.com.au

Fohhn: Invisible Performance Ask any architect to describe their ideal loudspeaker system and you’ll invariably hear the same answer: something that sounds amazing but remains invisible. High performance audio requires high performance systems that take space and need to be optimally placed so the listening audience can best enjoy the sound reinforcement. Thin column array speakers have been around a long time and you’ll often spot them in cathedrals to amplify spoken word. The advantage of column speakers is the ability to control the sound, stopping it from spraying up into the ceiling, reducing echoes and improving speech intelligibility. Traditionally, they’ve only been used for speech reproduction. A new type of column speaker has come onto the scene in more recent years. They’re called beam steering column arrays. They look much the same but with advances in DSP and amplification tech, they can be electronically manipulated to more precisely sculpt the sound dispersion to the room.

FOHHN IT IN Fohhn has for nearly 25 years been manufacturing speakers and amplifiers from its factory near Stuttgart. In 2008, Fohhn (prounounced: ‘Phone’ in your best German accent) started building beam steering line arrays. But rather than simply focus on the speech frequencies they decided to design a system with higher performing amps and speaker components that could handle music performance and reproduction. The Linea Series was born.

Since then Fohhn has continuously refined its offering. The more recent Focus Series represents the state of the art in beam steering column arrays. The loudspeakers all but disappear into the architecture of a venue such as a theatre. And thanks to the superior dispersion control can be electronically steered to address under balcony areas and the dress circle at the same time. Fohhn has developed a software package that allows system designers to model and control their loudspeaker system. It’s easy to switch configurations in real time with the click of a mouse. In a venue setting this might mean turning a balcony section ‘off’ and redirecting all of the column speaker’s firepower at the rest of the room. All up you have a sweet-sounding and powerful system that’s as suitable for live rock ’n’ roll venues as it is cathedrals. The best thing for architects is Fohhn blends in and disappears without sacrificing performance.

TIMBER & MARBLE LOOK? Fohhn is also renowned for being particularly responsive to demands for customised colourways. Not only can the speakers be supplied in an

array of RAL colours, Fohhn also offers a Texture Design service, with a bunch of decorative designs available, from stainless steel, carbon and marble, to a range of timbers — all with photo-realistic appearances. Fohhn may be a well-established and respected audio name in Europe and elsewhere but new to Australia. It now has representation and will no doubt begin to appear in some interesting installations around the country. CMI: (03) 9315 2244 or www.cmi.com.au

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The Silo Hotel Cape Town

Opening earlier in 2017, the Silo Hotel occupies the grain elevator portion of the historic silo building which was originally built in 1924. The Silo Hotel is part of The Royal Portfolio group of hotels and has 28 guest rooms across seven room categories. London-based Heatherwick Studio was responsible for the reimagining of the exterior of the grain silo building, which contains both the museum and the hotel above. The greatest visible change to the grain siloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monumental structure is the addition of the pillowed glass windows, inserted into the existing geometry of the upper floors. These windows bulge

outward as if gently inflated. By night, this will transform the building into a glowing lantern or beacon in the harbour. Liz Biden, the owner of The Royal Portfolio, has meticulously designed and decorated the interiors of the hotel. Each of the 28 rooms is unique. Drawing inspiration from her travels around the world, Liz has acquired a unique and varied collection of art and interior artefacts. Liz will often incorporate foreign inspiration into local industries by commissioning local artists and designers to help produce her visionary interiors.Â www.theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo

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