Bar Studio completes design of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
Bar Studio has completed the design of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, blending the city’s artisanal mindset with a global design outlook. The new opening holds the title of Australia’s tallest hotel, occupying the top 17 floors of the 80-storey West Side Place, plus three lower levels. Bar Studio – AHEAD Europe 2022 winners – has opted for a contemporary design language that reflects the local cultural landscape, with a distinctly Melbournian approach to craftsmanship.
The 257-suite high-rise comprises a sky lobby, as well as a bar, restaurant – by local studio Layan – day spa, function rooms and a 600-seat ballroom. Guestrooms and suites create a sense of residential comfort, with a soft colour palette and materials inspired by the city, augmented by custom furniture and lighting.
Spatial planning and streamlined functional design work to deliver a guest experience that cultivates a sense of discovery. Art is central to Bar Studio’s design ethos, hence the hotel’s design celebrates local and international contemporary artists like Maree Clarke, Reko Rennie, Christian Thompson AO, as well as Geoff Nees, Jon Cattapan and Ash Keating. Also on display is a marble water installation by esteemed French designer Mathieu Lehanneur. Equally important in the hotel’s design is Melbourne’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature, with evocations of libraries and writing rooms featured across the site.
“Melbourne is the original home of our international studio, so to reinterpret the city through our global design lens was an immersive and personal process for our team,” says Rowena Hockin, Curatorial Director of Bar Studio. “We wanted to craft a cosmopolitan hotel inspired by our experiences in the world but also deeply connected to our own city and creative community.”
Inspired by Melbourne’s rich layers of culture and history, the design concept incorporates influences from its indigenous story, Victorian-era gold rush, European heritage and the moments of its laneway life. “Melbourne’s laneways build a real, diverse and intimate connection with the city. It is this ‘feeling’ that is uniquely Melbourne to me. And it is this interplay, this sense of discovery, of unexpected, special moments and experiences that is central to the design of The Ritz- Carlton, Melbourne,” comments Stewart Robertson, co-founder and Creative Director of Bar Studio.
The hotel’s vertical journey charts the city’s creative contrasts, acknowledging indigenous heritage on the ground floor via references to land, water and First Nations culture. On the top floor, the sky lobby greets guests with city views from the all-day dining lounge. An intimate bar and library provide another setting in which to enjoy the panorama, while in the Ritz-Carlton Club, design pays homage to the establishment clubs of Melbourne.
