Image Credit : Lisa Crooks
Project Overview
An urban resort:
Sitting in beautiful parklands on Albert Park Lake, Greenfields is your dream vacation house, but big enough for all of your friends. The concept was to put lifestyle at the centre of design, to create a multi-use space that worked in harmony with its environment. It’s a space to breathe. The details were layered to build a warm, tactile environment: a place to relax and connect.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Alex Zabotto-Bentley
Peter Harley
Jaimi-Lee Wheelwright
Jenni Munster
Lucy Erasmus Green
Madison Fay
Jason Jowett
Project Brief
The venue was a Melbourne favourite, with great bones. We were asked to redevelop the space, going beyond the wedding / party venue it had been, and address the lifestyle needs of the local area. Our aim was to create an inviting, multi-purpose space,; a place for yoga workshops, innovative speakers, celebrations and long, lazy lunches. We researched town squares, markets and gathering spots around Europe, to capture Melbourne’s European heritage. We wanted to preserve some of the original DNA, but a lot of work needed to be done. We kept the original trophies from the old clubhouse in a nod to the heritage of the space, but built a new bar with a steel bulkhead and solid Oregon pine shelving to house them.
Craftsmanship was a key element of the design, and the bespoke solutions are the reason the space flows so well. We worked with local artisans to create handmade and hand-finished details and found suppliers from small-run furniture makers in France to hand weavers in the Philippines, plus our own team on the ground, including specialist builders from Demroc Building Group. Greenery was also a key element, from the mix of lush greens and aerial plants, to the soft shades of sage and mint that tie the areas together. The result is a space that is natural, warm and authentic.
Project Innovation/Need
It was important to create a multi-sensory space that served the local community. From the events to the eatery, the concept is about health and wellness, which we wanted to communicate through the design. We created an open-plan space with natural materials and shared tables. To reduce walls and barriers, we used the flooring to define areas and add detail, using our own custom “stick” encaustic tiles throughout the large lower dining level. Greenery was another key element to manage the flow of the space. We planted lush greens in antique ceramic water vessels from Turkey, antique gesso conch shells from Italy and giant terracotta pots by local ceramicists. A mix of small trees and tropical greens help to bring the outside in.
Design Challenge
The original space had a semi-industrial feel, and while some of the lines were attractive, the space felt a little heavy and dark for the location. We removed the entire perimeter wall to create a massive casement window in steel, which was powder-coated in a custom pigment. The result was a fusion of the original industrial style, with a softness that visually connected the interior to the lake views beyond. We repurposed the original 100 year old bricks from the wall to create an outdoor dining deck, making the most of the beautiful landscape. A palette of slubby greys, pumice and mint gave the space an organic, human feel that is immediately soothing.
Sustainability
We repurposed the original 100 year old bricks from the wall to create an outdoor dining deck, making the most of the beautiful landscape. Much of the wood used on the project was recycled and we purposely sought out antique and hand-crafted pieces as well as finishes in low-impact materials like rattan and hand-woven reeds, to add a sense of warmth and soul to the space. Natural light has been maximized through the use of windows and floor layout, to reduce the reliance on electric lighting.
Interior Design - Hospitality - Luxury
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration 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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