A multi-storey hotel development has been approved for Seppeltsfield in South Australia’s Barossa Valley.
Designed by Adelaide-based practice Intro Architecture, preliminary plans for the $50 million luxury hotel were submitted to Light Regional Council in February 2020, drawing the ire of local residents who launched a campaign against the development later that year.
Its form, which purportedly takes its reference from the wine barrels in the Centennial Cellar, has earned it the disparaging nickname “the slug,” coined by disgruntled locals for its 51-metre undulating stature.
According to the architect, “the deconstructed wine barrel is expressed […] through contrasting materials and transparencies throughout the series of contorted staves arising from the vineyard.”
Neighbouring residents have objected to the development on the grounds of its scale, height and conspicuous appearance.
Many have openly stated they see the value in and necessity for luxury accommodation in the Barossa, but hope to see a design that is sympathetic to the landscape, which is the region’s crowning glory.
“We see the need for luxury tourism accommodation; I think that’s where we really need to be very clear, it’s the design that is the issue here,” local resident Eva Tscharke told The Advertiser.
The hotel will accommodate 71 rooms, including suites and penthouses, with private balconies allocated to each. The proposed building is crowned with a viewing deck with a “sky bar” and 360-degree views over the Barossa.
A tender process is underway to select a hotel operator with the developer to announce the partnership forthwith.
