techne architects design garden state hotel

australian firm technē has completely rebuilt a former iconic ’80s and ’90s restaurant venue rosati in melbourne. the site has retained its distinctive exterior; a heritage victorian era building that was previously used as a textile mill in 1896. the design centers on a large multi-level beer garden, filled with greenery and creating an oasis in the middle of the CBD network of laneways.

the 2,000 square-meter project, with a capacity for 840 guests, preserves much of the original textile factory’s sawtooth roof while opening its central bays to form a terraced beer garden that merges of a victorian conservatory and a hidden botanical haven. ‘retaining as much of the existing building’s fabric as possible has been valuable for the character and heritage it imbues the project.’ comments justin northrop, technē director. ‘the differentiation between old and new should be visible although not necessarily cut and dry. a new layer of structure and finish is woven into the existing shell giving the building a new chapter without erasing the last one.’

technē has completely rebuilt the venue while preserving its distinctive industrial exterior

technē’s design for garden state hotel links the integrated spaces vertically across four levels, encouraging a sense of exploration and movement throughout the venue. as well as the multi-level beer garden at its heart, the project involved the creation of a street level public bar at the front of the site and a five-level structure (four of which are open to the public) at the rear.

all images © shannon mcgrath

the new york-influenced garden grill will be the venue’s main dining area and also features the raw bar. furthermore, the basement-level rose garden is an intimate cocktail bar with chandeliers, eclectic antique wall décor and giant rose motifs hand-painted by local artisans. other spaces include the balcony dining room, for small group bookings, and the observatory on the second floor, the venue’s premier functions space, which will hold up to 120 people in a light-filled room with views onto both the garden below and the city outside.

the multi-leveled beer garden at the center

‘the dominant idea for the interior was to offer patrons a garden respite, a light filled, green space offering relief from the hard surfaces of the city. wheeling around the courtyard are progression of spaces that borrow from the botanical theme but also have their own distinct character. good visual connections encourage flowing movement around the venue and circulation is arranged to allow users to discover the different areas in a fairly freeform way. – justin northrop, director of techne

the new york-influenced garden grill will be the venue’s main dining area