24
Vision Magazine
Hospital and hotel make an interesting,
yet unlikely, duo.
Kristen Whittle: It’s unique to plug a hotel onto
a hospital. We imagined bringing together mixed
uses into a hospital, and the hotel was one of the
key components anchoring the second stage of
development. The hotel services families, visiting
researchers and a range of people needing
accommodation. It’s also one of the very first
hotels encountered on Flemington Road en
route from the airport upon arrival in the city.
So the best part of the old building is retained.
Yes, and by keeping it, we had to look at how best
to use its structure and layout all anew. Our main
objective was to create a highly legible, simple
promenade of spaces and utilize the gaps between
the old and new hospital buildings. This allowed
us to capitalize on views across the new gardens
towards the city.
What provides the signature design identity?
An Art Series hotel is a good choice. It brings
Melbourne and it’s rich personality into the
building. It’s essentially a bespoke, boutique hotel
that also brings art into the hotel and art into the
hospital. While it benefits the hospital it operates
autonomously. It’s for the general public too.
For anyone working in Carlton or commuting into
the city and wanting a quicker exit to the airport,
this is the hotel.
It shouldn’t be stereotyped as purely for hospital
patients and staff?
It’s certainly not that. It has great views over the
gardens. Once retail is fully in place it’s going to be
fantastic. I’ve seen it as a place, a getaway, for those
people who don’t want to be in the big café spaces,
who maybe want a quiet time between a doctor and
a patient or parents. It’s a respite as well. It works
fantastically well because you walk in there and
see kids and their parents actually smiling.
I’m always delighted by that.
Fine Art Hotel