For centuries, the discovery of the Yarra River has been crucial to the founding and development of Melbourne through it providing a large freshwater source and mode of transportation. Even amidst the dense urban environment of Melbourne, there is a natural water source flowing through the city. Creating contrast, the Yarra River provides a break within the bustling context with a calming sense of fluid continuity, connecting the city to the natural surroundings by providing outdoor activities for users. The Yarra River translates to “ever flowing river” and is known to represent an path of movement that ultimately connects to the southern Pacific Ocean. As the river meets the ocean, the muddy water of the Yarra caused by the eroded clay soils combines with the marine salts and turns into the bright blue ocean water; this converging relationship is similar to how the Yarra River connects to the city of Melbourne.
The parti diagram draws inspiration from the natural flow of the river being within the context of the city, represented by the secondary lines based on the existing column grid.
As the guests enter the space, they are greeted by the reception desk with a feature wall with branding to lure the users to check-in. After check-in, guests are guided by a highlighted path and ceiling feature as circulation.
Guests and city residents are all encouraged to use the restaurant and bar placed on the 1st floor. Custom shelves allow easy access for bartenders while also displaying the hotel’s collection of local beverages.
Along with bar, local cuisine is sold in the restaurant. Users have an array of seating options, including open tables and encapsulating, custom booths.
To support the intended user group being business travelers, a coffee bar is placed on each floor to be a social workspace.
The form of the custom seating follows the “ever flowing” form of a river, while still forming to how a user would comfortably sit.
Two atriums are placed on floors 2-4 to showcase the flowing forms cascading through each floor vertically, then horizontally across the ceiling of the 1st floor to mimic the main circulation path.
For the one of the focuses of the project, biomimicry is implemented through the forms in the shared spaces by drawing inspiration from how the Yarra River flows within the juxtaposition of the city surroundings of Melbourne.
The guest room design considers privacy, comfort, and accessibility.
By using the existing bay windows, a banquette is implemented to allow guests seating options within their own room.
The guest bathrooms offer a luxurious feel with locally sourced stone on the wall, along with a wooden, reeded vanity with motion-sensored lighting underneath to preserve energy and optimizing function.
Materials were selected based on sustainability and locality in conjunction with LEED standards. The color palette represents the contrast of the eroded clays with the blue water combining; paralleled to the contrast of the Yarra River to the city of Melbourne. More specifically, locally sourced woods and stones and sustainable fabrics were implemented throughout the entirety of the space.
The logo showcases the name with lowercase letters and a simple curved line, to represent a sense of calm and flow.
Branding is apparent through the amenities and tailored merchandise.
Dumlao, N. (2017, September 9). Photo by Nathan Dumlao on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/ photos/7HYgJL1ldMo
History of the Lower Yarra River. Yarra River Melbourne Australia. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://yarrariver.melbourne/history/ Misachi, J. (2021, October 5). Yarra River. WorldAtlas. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://www.worldatlas.com/rivers/yarra-river.html
