2023 Gallery
Winner: Best Hotel Design
BAR Studio and Make Architects for Capella Sydney
35-39 Bridge Street
Sydney, NSW
Capella Sydney is an exemplar of adaptive re-use. A landmark heritage building has been reimagined and is now a 192-guestroom luxury hotel that both celebrates the built heritage of the original sandstone edifice and hosts an unfolding, contemporary series of hospitality spaces.
Jury Citation
The jury members were all impressed by this example of adaptive reuse. What used to be a government building has been painstakingly restored such that the original property, once inaccessible to most people, has been given new life and opened up to the public. The design seamlessly blends old and new in an approach that honours the hotel’s civic history. This refurbishment has the same sense of permanence and timelessness as the original Edwardian structure, and it nods to the charm and robustness of the building. New insertions are solid and unembellished, implementing authentic materials and creating a variety of hospitality spaces. This hotel finely balances restraint and reuse. In an industry known for a high rate of replacement and refurbishment, the design stands out with an enduring quality that honours the venue’s past even as it welcomes the generations to come.
