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InterContinental Sydney Double Bay SYDNEY
Based on the concept of ret ain and re-use, Bates Smart has t ransf orm ed a former playground of t he rich and famous into an elegant bayside retreat. Words: Mandi Keighran
I Photography: Courtesy of InterContinental Sydney Double Bay f Bates Smart
he Ritz-Carlton in Double Bay, a leafy bayside suburb in Sydney's East, was the hotel du jour during its heyday in the nineties. Throughout the decade, the mock-Georgian building served as a decadent playground for the rich and famous. Elton John, Madonna, and Tom Cruise partied here, several US presidents were guests, and it's where INXS frontm an Michael Hutchence died in 1997. But by 2007, the party was over. Following a stint as the Stamford Plaza, the building became unoccupied and succumbed to disrepair. In Novem ber last year, however, Royal H otels and InterContinental succeeded in bringing the hotel back to life with a
grand AUD$25m makeover undertaken by Australian architecture and interiors firm, Bates Smart. "The building had gone co rack-and-ruin and was being used for all sorts of things, including rave parties," explains Brenton Smith, a director at Bates Sma rt and project leader on the InterContinental Double Bay. "The bones of it, however, were still very good." Following the acquisition of the site by Royal H otels in 201 2, Bares Smart won a design competition based on their concept of 'retain and re-use'. "There was beautiful marble and quality timber panelling throughout the hotel," continues Smith, "so, we tried to use
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Above: Bates Smart has transformed the rooftop into a Mediterranean -insptred urban oasis with poolside lounge and bar
the hotel. "It's the piece de resistance in terms of design and we want to give our guests priority, but ensure that we are still part of the community," says Jasmine Cook, Communications Manager at the hotel. The solution was found in opening the space to anyone from Sam to midday, and then implementing a minimum spend in the afternoon and evening. "We're trying to ensure that the space is exclusive, without ostracising people." In terms of work to the base building, there was little to be done. Bares Smart increased the number of apertures along the street-facing wall in Stillery, flooding the space with natural light, and added several new coffers to partially correct the original asymmetry of the building, which is in stark contrast to its Georgian inspiration. "We wanted this to be a building everyone could use," concludes Cook. "This hotel has been such a part of the history of this suburb and there's a real emotional investment by the locals." In fact, so great is the community interest in the hotel's second-coming that the first months were booked out largely by locals on staycations.
Bay, which was pastoral land from the 1820s to the mid-1950s when a tramline was built to connect the suburb to the city. The menu is all about fresh, local produce, and the dining area -which includes a private dining space for up to 20 - has a much warmer palette than Stillery and features specially commissioned photographs of the local area. One of the challenges here was to create a space that would cater for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while still feeling intimate - a challenge Bates Smart overcame by using a variety of seating arrangements. The real jewel in the crown of the new hotel, however, is undoubtedly the rooftop bar area and infinity splash pool. Previously an under-utilised space featuring a tiny gym and dingy pool, Bates Smart has transformed the rooftop into a Mediterranean-inspired urban oasis. "It's not a big space, but we've maximised it," says Smith. "It has an intimacy about it." Managing the local community's expectations in relation to the rooftop was one of the more difficult operational tasks faced by
EXPRESS CHECKOUT: 140 guestrooms I 1 restaurant I 1 bar I 7 event spaces I www.intercontinental.comfdoublebay Owner: Royal Hotels Australia I Operator: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts I Architecture & Interior Design: Bates Smart Project Manager: EDM I Builder: Isis I BCA Consultant: Philip Chun I Structural Engineer: nw
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Lighting Design: Elect rol!ght