The iconic Crowne Plaza Hotel is a 13-storey building located on the northern bank of Melbourne’s perennial Yarra River. Constructed circa 1988, the brutalist building itself features a distinctive curved form unique within the Melbourne cityscape. Gray Puksand as the Executive Architect was engaged to deliver a timely refurbishment of the hotel (along with interior designers Studioaria and AK Design Network) and have repositioned its standing in the competitive international hotel market.
While the existing guest rooms have a clear outlook to the river, the reception area suffered from a lack of connection to this quintessential Melbourne landmark. Establishing an openness and visually connecting the hotel to the river was Gray Puksand’s top priority (as was facilitating the interior designers’ vision). This connection with the river was achieved through the creation of a new entrance, refurbishment of the existing Spencer Street entry stair and introduction of an additional 30 guest rooms in the new entrance’s undercroft. With each masterful architectural intervention, Gray Puksand has modernised the hotel in a way that complements the building’s existing architecture.
