Image Credit : Chris Court
Project Overview
Shutters comprises of a lobby bar, main dining room with open kitchen and a shuttered patio opening to Coogee Beach. AZBcreative undertook to design these as three distinct enclaves.
The lobby bar annexed to the foyer where we designed and produced a totally hand created concrete render bar that looks as if it was made out of timber but is completely hand carved. On top of this we laid incredible honed terrazzo. We then designed a 60-seat lobby bar area with 2 substantial custom banquette units in cut marble and velvet facing the majestic panorama of Coogee Beach.
The main dining room and large open kitchen was designed to contain guests within one luxurious space. With detailed central dining banquette and lush plantings in the centre, surrounded by our custom dining chairs in rattan and buffed leather and celadon green marble tables. We wanted to reduce the overall tonality of all furniture and the upholstery materials so that the colour balance of the space reflected the scenery outside of the large open shuttered windows. This palette was more hues that solid colours.
The final space is the shuttered patio opening up to the majestic view of the Coogee foreshore. We created a 6 metre high-glassed atrium and designed a floating star cut screen to create dappled light onto the dining area. We used gorgeous highly veined marble throughout the venue in hues that are evocative of ocean surf and desaturation the interior so that it looks almost botanical.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Courtney Todd, Jaimi-Lee Wheelwright, Lucy Erasmus Green , Jenni Munster
Project Brief
The objective of the design for Shutters was to create a multiple use site complete with breakfast dining room that is closed off for lunch trade and then reopened for dinner, cocktail and bar service.
AZBcreative wanted to create an environment that was luxurious and comfortable, was able to be scaled throughout the day but also remain visually beautiful, where the view is paramount.
The interior was de-saturated by reducing the tonality of all furniture, upholstery materials, marble, custom terrazzo, décor, paint and putty tone stucco walls to balance the interior with the scenery outside.
The functional needs of the space, and the way it evolves from night to day, created some interesting design challenges. We also needed to be mindful of designing an interior that works within the existing hotel space and melded with the foyer.
With the addition of multiple entry points, our mission was to spatially design different environments that functioned separately and as a whole and offered access to hotel guests and other patrons alike.
Project Innovation/Need
We collaborated with artists, makers, and small artisanal factories to create an interior narrative that has soul. From bespoke works from local potters, who created barnacle like ceramics and sculptures to line the room divider shelving, to ethically sourced coral, to pastel hand cut art by renowned Australian artists. These elements culminate in a unique space that is rich in texture and detail.
We wanted to reduce the overall tonality of the furniture and upholstery materials so that the colour balance of the space reflected the scenery outside the large open shuttered windows. This palette was more hues than solid colours.
The soul of the space is the shuttered patio opening up to the majestic view of the Coogee foreshore. We created a 6 metre high-glassed atrium and designed a floating star cut screen to create dappled light onto the dining area. We used highly veined marble throughout the venue in hues that are evocative of ocean surf and desaturation the interior so that it looks almost botanical. The palette appears faded in time and is an exploration of blush hues and marble, soft celadon green textured fabric, custom terrazzo in putty tones and stucco rendered walls in cream on white.
This project gave us the ability to work to all our strength and create an interior that takes its cues from nature, is luxuriously curated with original custom elements and bespoke pieces, has exquisite finishes and is fully functional and responsible to the needs of a modern hotel.
Design Challenge
Inherently AZBcreative’s area of expertise is creating branded living environments where the experience of the patron is paramount.
Walking through the lobby the first visual is through the gigantic shuttered windows. We have manifested the external environment - the majestic fir trees, the ocean and sky - as our inspirational palette.
The colours are viridian, ocean blue to green, the variant shades of the sky, the verdant greens of the lush foliage outside. We have diffused these colours, degraded them and then applied all the colours, tones and hues to this entire space.
All materials – woven, leather, marble, terrazzo – reflect this same colour hued palette. The vibrations of the colours within this space resonate and balance as they play off each other.
We custom created every single element of this cavernous concrete box that was to become Shutters. We designed every piece of cabinetry, seating, banquette and curated all of these elements over a year and a half to be able to create an interior where everything talks from one point of view and resonates lovingly.
In terms of functionality we worked to make sure the spaces could evolve from day to night taking it through from breakfast sitting to patio lunches all the way to dinner and cocktail service. All the spaces needed to be able to function independently as well as a whole and to be closed off to make the areas accessible for patrons at different times of the day while still retaining the overall aesthetic.
Sustainability
At AZBcreative we strive for integrity and honesty in our design and have a strong commitment to sustainability. Through our use of local artists, suppliers, tradespeople, materials and artisans we strive to make our work as sustainable as possible and we believe this practice imparts authenticity to our projects.
The majority of the incredible decorative items and art displayed throughout Shutters was sourced locally.
Sydney artists Daimon Downey was commissioned to make hand cut artworks for the bar area and a team from a local ceramic studio created the marine inspired sculptures used throughout the shelving to great effect.
The verdant jungle like planting throughout the venue was all sourced from nurseries in New South Wales, each plant hand picked to work within the greater interior scheme.
Air flow was also an important consideration in our design – we want to maximise the natural flow of air to help minimise the use of air-con. This was well achieved through the use of clever shelving and furniture layout and the addition of the shutters from where the venue takes its name.
The use of locally sourced objects adds a layer of attainability to our decorative narrative and makes the story we weave more real and elemental to the interior. The reduced carbon footprint from using locally sourced items is another incredible benefit of following this ethos.
Interior Design - Hospitality - Eat & Drink
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors where people eat and drink - this includes bars, restaurants, cafes and clubs. Judging consideration is given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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