The task of creating Crown’s latest $300m, 658 room hotel, Crown Metropol, in Melbourne’s prospering Southbank precinct was a challenge welcomed by leading Australian architecture and interior design firm, Bates Smart.
The newest hotel in Australia, Crown Metropol is the fourth Crown hotel project for Bates Smart. Other major hotel projects include Crown Towers (1997), Crown Promenade (2003), and Crown Towers, City of Dreams, Macau (2009).
Distinctive, vibrant and unmistakably modern, the 28-level Crown Metropol hotel features a unique wave-like shape, sleek podium entry, 658 spacious, light-filled guestrooms, a luxurious day spa located on the top floors of the hotel, a sky bar and terrace on Level 28, Gordon Ramsay’s maze restaurant and maze grill, extensive meeting facilities and dedicated Business Centre, and a world-class training and recruitment facility.
Bates Smart’s Director of Interior Design, Jeffrey Copolov and Director of Architectural Design, Kristen Whittle headed the architecture and interior design for Crown Metropol. They confirm that it took a team of 48 architects and interior designers 36 months to design and deliver the new hotel, drawing on their company’s unique ability to design it from the outside in. Bates Smart managed all aspects of the design process from start to finish; from master planning and urban design through all architecture and interior design, right down to the final placement of the last accessory.
While similar in its DNA to sister properties Crown Towers and Crown Promenade, Crown Metropol’s brief was to impart a more youthful and dynamic form.
Copolov says, “Not only did it need to fulfil a particular aesthetic brief, it had to meet Crown’s exacting standards for technical performance and functionality for both front and back of house.
“We wanted the hotel’s design to challenge tradition and add a sense of fun with unorthodox elements, dark, dramatic shapes and earthy, grounded silhouettes inspired by nature.
“From the stylish guestrooms, studios and lofts to the more dramatic public areas and day spa, natural materials in neutral colour tones provide warmth and texture while vibrant shots of colour, inserted via contemporary carpets, specially commissioned artworks by Australian and international artists, accessories and upholsteries, create drama and excitement,” says Copolov.
The sinuous ‘S’ form of Crown Metropol’s hotel tower and its activated podium creates a striking and highly memorable gateway into Melbourne.
Whittle says, “Inspired by liquid mercury, the tower’s soft lines are enhanced by a shimmering reflective skin. The thin blades or ‘fins’ on the façade appear and disappear as you move around the building, enhancing the apparent reflections and notions of daylight.
“The sensual, fluid form of the building seamlessly flows through to the refined interiors of the hotel,” says Whittle.
Ground Floor
On arrival guests are offered a choice of two entrances from the porte cochere into the hotel, the main reception with its double volume space and the group reception. Dividing these areas, a jewel-like object encloses and disguises the guest luggage store. The asymmetrically lit coffered ceiling runs the full extent of the ground floor and is repeated in the double height ceiling above, accentuating the voluminous space of the hotel lobby.
A curved, rhythmic banded timber wall gives a handcrafted feel and acts as a backdrop to the space with vibrant shots of colour experienced in the large mural artwork by Melbourne based artist, Noel Skrzypczak and the custom-designed carpets by Bates Smart and NIBA. Complementing the plush carpets and insert rugs to the seating groups is a rhomboid patterned honed bluestone flooring, a favoured Melbourne material. Seven sculptural timber balls by Korean artist, Jae Lee Hyo sit proudly on the bluestone, occupying the space between the two receptions.
A sculptural ribbon staircase rises to 7.2 metres in the double height lobby space linking the ground to Level 1 above.
Level 1
Level 1 provides a connection from the hotel to the Crown retail precinct, Crown Casino and Crown Conference Centre. maze and maze Grill by Gordon Ramsay are also located on Level 1.
maze
maze occupies a sculptural architectural object perched outside the main tower with the inside/outside quality amplified in this interior.
As the name evokes, maze’s interior is crafted as a wandering journey of intrigue and discovery. Like an evocative landscape, a variety of dining experiences are revealed and unfolded to the visitor. Bates Smart set about to create an active and captivating sequence of spaces that are constantly morphing from one episode to another, offering patrons a diversity of experiences within the one venue.
On entry, there is a choice of spaces.
The coffee/pastry station with its communal high table and adjacent long bar with crafted charcoal, turquoise and platinum mosaic tiles and marble top.
The adjacent Cocktail Bar is an intimate box like folly overlooking the main lobby. A series of shuttered panels enable the guests to open up to view the lobby below or close down for privacy.
The a la carte restaurant is defined by its glassy, soaring volume and banquette that enclose this softer furnished space. Working in collaboration with New York / Miami based textile designers NIBA, Bates Smart created a boldly patterned, vibrant and contemporary carpet that, like a flower bed, provides a strong accent colour to an otherwise neutral palette of taupes and charcoals.
Over scaled light fittings custom-made by Foscarini in Italy hover above the dining room and act as beacons when viewed from the street below.
David Band of Mahon & Band was commissioned to create a wall relief sculpture modeled and created from found birch trees. This contemporary installation evokes an imagery of an ivy-clad wall and travels 60 metres, further reinforcing the outside/inside landscape qualities.
Two dramatic basket-like pavilions are fashioned from hand woven wicker to create both a Private Dining Room seating 12 and a unique ‘Sommelier Experience’ enclosure also seating 12. The plaited material provides discrete transparency as well as textural forms that give sculptural definition to the greater restaurant space.
In maze Grill, a vibrant combination of raw steel, rough cut slate and rustic thickly glazed tiles in a deep emerald provide a bold and robust back drop to the dynamic workings of the active kitchen.
Finally, the journey ends in an elevated private dining space where the timber floor moulds dramatically to become both wall then ceiling.
This unusually proportioned, evocative space is further emphasized by a long narrow slot picture window providing outlook to the guests only when they are seated.
Level 27
Level 27 houses the luxurious Isika day spa and guest recreational facility.
Upon entering the lift lobby, guests immediately experience the watery expanse and vivid blue of the large swimming pool and are inducted into the distinctive environment of Level 27. This is a place of recreation and relaxation, a haven apart from the world of travel and business.
An 8-metre high volume of space defines the pool and sun deck. The fully glazed architectural façade forms three sides of the space, providing a spectacular outlook to the city of Melbourne below. The lift lobby, flanked by towering highly textural charcoal grey blade walls, forms the 4th. Views and natural light are inherent features of the pool deck evoking a grand exterior terrace. The infinity edge 25 metre swimming and hot plunge pools take centre stage.
Custom-designed oversized pendant lights are suspended dramatically from the coffered ceiling. They hover over couples’ day beds emitting radiant light as softly sculptural, finely tailored forms. Below the pendants raised timber platforms gently landscape the space. The surrounding sun lounges are upholstered in colour-saturated fabrics, reminiscent of a beachscape suspended in the urban Melbourne skyline.
Isika day spa is alternatively entered via the pool deck reception or a stair directly connecting the spa and the dedicated spa accommodation on Level 26. The day spa comprises a glamorous nail and beauty salon called ‘The Haven’, serene relaxation lounge called ‘The Lounge’, and 12 individual and double massage rooms.
The journey along a serpentine corridor takes guests past the light-filled, generously appointed gymnasium and the gender dedicated vitality pools and steam rooms. The day spa entry is quietly announced by custom designed signage recessed into monumental timber doors. Large scale bespoke door handles are sculptural and inviting to the touch. Their smooth contoured shape combines function and beauty.
Large-scale photographic wallpapers adorn the beauty salon, relaxation lounge and double treatment rooms. They suggest pure nature and add colour.
An organic palette of materials has been used to create a serene environment. Distilled, sympathetic colour accents appear in wall and column tiling, soft furnishings and wall coverings to enrich this neutral scheme. Carpets, designed by Bates Smart and NIBA, create corridor runners displaying contemporary, joyful pattern of soft hues.
Australian artists Marion Borgelt, Pamela See and Kate Hendry have each created sculptural three-dimensional works modeling light and shadow on the walls.
Level 28
Level 28 occupies the top floor of the hotel with spectacular views across the city and beyond. It is on this level that the fluid form of the architecture is visible from within emphasised by the dramatic sweep of the 4.8 metre high coffered ceiling and full height glass façade.
The timber panelled lift lobby with its richly coloured hand woven rug custom designed in conjunction with NIBA, graphic timber 28 branding designed by Fabio Ongarato Design and the custom-designed steel entry door handles reflecting the fluid motifs of the carpet are a precursor to the impressive club lounge.
Once in the club lounge a ribbon-like screen of metallic blades weaves through dividing the area into intimate spaces and at the same time allowing glimpses through one space to another.
The club is divided into three intimate spaces; the moody cocktail bar with screened views over the pool below and access to the external terrace showcasing views of Melbourne skyline. The lounge with sandblasted timbers, rich upholsteries and custom-designed circular black steel fireplace as its central focus. An installation of books within the sandblasted timber bookshelves in the lounge and dining areas by Australian artist David Sequiera introduces colour and texture to the palette. The stylish a la carte dining area uses polished metals, rich hand made tiles and intimate lighting. A commissioned sculpture of pale blue glass in the form of a ribbon within the a la carte dining area by New Zealand based artist, Christine Cathie appears floating on a mirrored surface to the top of the island banquette.
Guestrooms
The spacious guestrooms offer accommodation that is both distinctive and vibrant across a range of room configurations. The interiors have a crafted contemporary feel with a boutique and loft-like edge.
They feature an abundance of natural light by day and an intimate sense by night. The combination of hand crafted elements and natural materials used throughout the guestrooms evokes the desired warmth of hotel accommodation, while the integrated technology provides for the current business landscape.
The generous bathrooms are open to the room to allow the occupant to enjoy the city/bay vistas or to close down the space via woven Shoji-inspired sliding screens to create a private introspective box. Artworks by David Band in collaboration with Fraser Taylor have been individually hand-painted providing unique pieces to each hotel room.
Guests wanting to stay in a cocooned, soothing spa atmosphere can choose to stay in the Level 26 Spa rooms. These rooms are linked to the Level 27 spa facilities by stair access as well as lifts. Although the key elements of these rooms are similar, the palette is deliberately softer and calmer and the accessories have been adjusted to create a contemplative, serene environment.
The Apartment
Perfectly positioned at the northern end of Level 25, taking full advantage of the building’s extraordinary city views, The Apartment has been designed to portray feelings of a New York loft apartment. Sensuous, edgy and ‘laid back’, The Apartment’s distinct style has been highly personalised to resemble someone’s private home, not a traditional hotel room.
On arrival, a hand-crafted timber door and European oak timber flooring immediately welcome guests. Tactile furnishings are sumptuously placed throughout the apartment including a deliberately sensual chaise lounge with reindeer throw that is both seductive and inviting.
On top of the tone-on-tone, monochromatic palette, jewel-like colours have been injected into The Apartment’s various rooms complementing the diverse range of hand collected art works and objects of mixed media.
The spacious sitting room, with its luxurious sofa, ottoman and bookcase, features an extraordinary collection of books on art, culture and philosophy as well as hand collected objets d’art. The books were selected for both their aesthetic and literary contribution.
Similarly, the sophisticated dining room, with its refined mix of ceramics, glass objects and copper trays, creates a setting that is urbane and cosmopolitan. The eclectic collection of mixed media pieces hung in the dining room creates an intriguing gallery wall.
The master bedroom is generous in size with a large dressing room allowing plenty of storage for guests’ belongings and a full-length threepaneldressingmirror. Sliding rattan woven screens separate the master bedroom from the ensuite, letting in light between the spaces. The ensuite is broken in to three distinct spaces; bathing room, couples shower room and vanity, crafting private rooms for introspection and relaxation.
There is also a highly functional kitchenette and pantry with connection to the hallway enabling The Apartment to cater for private parties.
Level 3 – Meeting Facilities/Business Centre
Located on Level 3, there are four flexible meeting rooms, each catering for up to 50 delegates. An operable wall facilitates the connection of two rooms to cater for larger groups. A pre-function room continues the aesthetic language of rhythmic banded timber paneling with a butterfly installation by Hong Kong based Australian artist Jayne Dyer.
The facility showcases views of Melbourne’s exhibition precinct and the Yarra River and is designed for hosting a flexible range of corporate lunches, dinners, cocktail parties, launches and presentations.
The fully serviced business centre is conveniently located adjacent to the meeting rooms, providing hotel and conference guests with private offices, Internet workstations and boardroom facilities.
Photography by Melbourne-based Earl Carter completes the meeting rooms and Business Centre.
Crown College
Crown College is a world-class recruitment and training facility occupying a prominent space within Crown Metropol. The college is located on levels 2 and part of Level 6, incorporating a full commercial training kitchen and restaurant.
Reception and waiting spaces are entered via a dedicated lobby, which is both open and inviting. The interior is of a contemporary aesthetic with colour accents, natural elements and organic forms true to the Crown Metropol aesthetic ethos. This theme is continued throughout the college into the breakout spaces, interview rooms, training rooms and offices. Crown’s brief was to provide a quality working environment for all staff.
Breakout spaces incorporate sculptural feature screens and contemporary furniture and lamps. These elements contribute a youthful energy to the college and Scott Newett’s distinctive artwork is prominently located to complete the theme.
The training restaurant and bar simulates an operational hospitality environment featuring timber flooring, stone joinery, custom-made pendant lighting and graphic wallpapers.
The result is a refined, world-class hotel that showcases Melbourne from a new, contemporary angle and enables the city to be watched in silent motion.