2023 Eat Drink Design Awards: Best Hotel Design

Jury comment

The jury members were all impressed by this example of adaptive reuse. What used to be a government building has been painstakingly restored such that the original property, once inaccessible to most people, has been given new life and opened up to the public. The design seamlessly blends old and new in an approach that honours the hotel’s civic history. This refurbishment has the same sense of permanence and timelessness as the original Edwardian structure, and it nods to the charm and robustness of the building. New insertions are solid and unembellished, implementing authentic materials and creating a variety of hospitality spaces. This hotel finely balances restraint and reuse. In an industry known for a high rate of replacement and refurbishment, the design stands out with an enduring quality that honours the venue’s past even as it welcomes the generations to come.

Design statement

Capella Sydney is an exemplar of adaptive reuse. A landmark heritage building has been reimagined and is now a 192-guestroom luxury hotel that both celebrates the built heritage of the original sandstone edifice and hosts an unfolding, contemporary series of hospitality spaces. The brief was to retain and celebrate as many of the building’s original architecture and heritage features as possible while converting these former government offices into a world-class hotel. Over seven years, the design team focused on restoring and refurbishing the original architecture and heritage elements while adding a contemporary rooftop extension and reimagining the interiors to integrate the modern amenities and facilities expected from a luxury hotel. A layered collaboration of architecture, interior design, art curation and styling creates a cohesive and immersive environment that respects the architectural heritage while creating new spaces and surrounds. Hotel guests are taken on a curated journey through the original built fabric of this historic building, transitioning seamlessly between the new and reimagined spaces. Spatially and operationally, the design creates a contemporary chapter – one with a sense of integrated permanence and timelessness – in the history of the heritage building.

Capella Sydney is built on land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.

Project credits

Designer Bar Studio Project team Stewart Robertson

See the full gallery of winning and commended projects on the Eat Drink Design Awards website.

The Eat Drink Design Awards are organized by Architecture Media (publisher of ArchitectureAU). The 2023 awards’ supporting partners are Roca and Latitude.

The Eat Drink Design Awards are endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects and the Design Institute of Australia.