Image Credit : Studio SZ Photo
Project Overview
Inspired by the golden era of art deco glamour and jet setting between the world wars, Yi Long was modelled off the idea of the 'The Grand Hong Kong Hotel', paying homage to luxurious travel and design of hotels of the 1930s.
The design team relished in the projects theatrical concept by dedicating time to watching films like 'In The Mood For Love' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' in order to truly immerse themselves in the space. The finishes, details and even styling have all been meticulously crafted to transport diners to the golden age of luxury travel.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Eleena Tan: Company Director (BrandWorks)
Sophie Metcalfe: Lead Interior Designer (BrandWorks)
Anny Lim: Project Manager (BrandWorks)
Lan Lan: Client Relations Manager (BrandWorks)
Project Brief
Entering the lift lobby of Yilong you are greeted by a speakeasy style concierge window. Leave your coat and take your room key as you are then transported into the world of mid-century high society. Brass accents, walnut timbers, custom terrazzo flooring and distressed vintage rugs adorn this opulent space whilst joinery details have been carefully crafted to mimic a traditional silhouettes.
The floorplan positions the main bar in the middle of the tenancy making it two sided with archways that staff can walk through to reach either side. This also divided the space between the brighter area that's more tea focused and the cocktail bar that houses the impressive walk in wine display and is more liquor focused.
A big part of the brief and subsequent interior inspiration was that the vertical circulation needed to be grand, much like a hotel lobby of the era. The base footprint of the stair therefore splays out at the end in a sweeping motion, terminating right at the tea bar. The landing in the middle was elongated so patrons can pause and visually take in the entire space, mezzanine and void with a custom designed balustrade and lead light feature pane
Up on level 6 the timber takes on a darker wenge hue and this is where the more premium rooms are housed with two VIP private dining rooms divided by an acoustic bifold door for maximum flexibility.
Project Need
The booth areas are upholstered in leather on level 5 and velvet on level 6, and have been finished with contrast velvet piping. This piping detail was inspired by a typical Chinese cheongsam dress that was originally designed in Shanghai in the 1920's. Behind the banquettes the wall panels have been upholstered in cheongsam material and walnut timber joinery mimics the iconic clasp design of the dress. This subtle nod honours fashion houses of the era and provides a joinery language that is repeated throughout the entire venue.
The client wanted the lighting to be customisable for customers. In addition to working directly with lighting consultants 'lighting spaces' to design a flexible scheme, we also installed small spotlights above the tables so patrons would be able to take photos of their meals for social media. This light is then dimmed when they begin dining so as to not take away from the mood.
Finally, because the space caters to both morning tea through to late night cocktails, we needed to ensure the design was appropriate for any time of the day. By placing the bar in the centre of the venue on level 5 you are able to enjoy it as a focal point wherever you are seated as there is a 360 degree view to the bar from wherever you are sitting.
Design Challenge
The major challenge in this design was that a lot of the design work was executed in Melbourne during the height of the pandemic. All finish samples were chosen in Melbourne during lockdown and then flown over for the team in Shanghai to source. The Australian team also had to work directly with our Chinese team to ensure the project was hitting all of the right tones culturally, so that the venue would appeal to not only locals but be a destination venue for travellers in a post Covid world. Choosing the cheongsam material was particularly laborious as there are some prints that are solely worn for weddings, so there was a lot of back and forth until the perfect print and tone was chosen.
Construction Documentation was also completed by the Australian team which then needed to be fully translated for the construction team over in Shanghai. BrandWorks designed and documented the large concrete staircase that was then structurally engineered over in Shanghai with minimal disruption to the aesthetic design.
Sustainability
Natural materials were chosen where possible for Yilong with timber, steel, stone, linen and silk being featured. Whilst finishes were chosen in Australia, all items were then locally sourced to avoid the carbon footprint of importation.
Interior Design - International Hospitality
Open to all international projects this award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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