Images via Pact Architects
A brand new ten-storey hotel will hit Adelaide’s prime beachfront suburb, bringing a balance of heritage and new form to the heart of Glenelg.
Planning has been approved for the heritage-listed Alexandra Terrace site on Moseley Street, which was known locally as the Glenelg Backpackers, and was popular with travellers visiting Adelaide for short stays.
Pact Architects is behind the sleek, carefully considered design. “We’re delivering what we hope will become a new icon for the area,” lead architect Tom Jarrett said.
The brief was to build a hotel in a way that best maintained the heritage building, and that was certainly met with flying colours.
The ground level and existing building will be the main entrance, with the new development located in what’s currently the car park of Alexandra Terrace. The hotel will connect to the back of the 1800s building, creating a back curtain of modern windows and design.
“The ability for a hotel to be built while upgrading the heritage building was a key positive for the site,” Tom said.
“A heritage building is such a great opportunity for front-of-house uses, while having a brand new, modern hotel tower behind it is a really exciting opportunity, and it’s not always possible.”
The main hotel lobby will be around the side of the heritage building, while the heritage building itself will house all the food and beverage offerings including restaurants and bars.
A syndicate of people bought the site a couple of years ago, and now the design is done and planning consent has been granted.
“One of the key design challenges is that the building is quite tall,” Tom said. “It’s ten storeys in a five-storey zone, so to achieve [consent], we needed a very thoughtful design that respected the heritage building.”
The design allows the heritage building to be at the forefront and main focus, while the tower sits as a backdrop, with its own identity in the skyline, without overpowering.
“We think it will offer something quite different to what’s currently in Glenelg. It’ll be high-end and boutique,” Tom said.
“Each room will be quite unique in its layout and views, so there’s a lot of individuality in the offering.”
The interior design has been driven by the team at Pact, with beach-inspired decor, given its location and a modern colour palettte. The design is made to complement the character of Alexandra Terrace, while ensuring the Victorian-era local heritage building remains the focal point.
“The owners are very driven to make it happen and make it exceptional. We’re going through design changes to ensure every room and space is as good as it can be and as appealing to the market as possible.”
Renovations are set to start by the end of the year, if everything goes according to plan. “Hopefully, we’ll be delivering what will become a new icon for the area.”
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