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Carindale Hotel
Westfield Shopping Centre, 1151 Creek Rd, Carindale, QLD, 4152
(07) 3324 6200 or www.hotelcarindale.com.au
The recent makeover of Westfield Carindale saw the need for the existing Carindale Hotel to be demolished, paving the way for a reimagining. The Hotel re-emerged as an integrated part of the Centre’s new extension, fronting both the street and internally to the food court atrium. The design by Brand + Slater Architects responded to the hotel’s connection to the Centre, complimenting the refurbishment by embracing a bar and restaurant feel.
One doesn’t often see a hotel physically part of a shopping centre, especially a hotel with gaming, but careful planning of the internal spaces ensured social considerations were addressed. As a result, the gaming room was tucked away to the rear, behind the open plan restaurant and bar area – out of sight but not forgotten. Clever use of the timber bulkhead and pendant lights subtly invites patrons to explore the depths of the Hotel.
Brand + Slater decided on a modern reinterpretation of a French brasserie. Warm, neutral tones and materials dominate the palette and along with elegant café-style furniture extend a friendly invitation to the venue. American oak floors, stone clad walls, timber ceiling panels and simple white pendant lights reinforce this theme.
The main bar is anchored to the prominent corner of the Hotel, visible from the street and food court. Its low counter height interacts with the customer at a more human scale. Stone and feature tiling add a sophisticated detail to the bar, whilst the unobtrusive metal framed back bar display allows vision through to all sides.
Integrated as one space with the bar, the restaurant is open plan to achieve flexibility of function. Beyond the restaurant is a quiet lounge area and gaming room, complete with its own bar. The timber flooring is substituted with custom carpet, the pattern of which was derived from the feature tile motif.