Space Studio has recently completed the interior fit-out of the newly opened Sofitel Wellington – a $50 million, 130-room hotel. We talked to Devi Lecchi, Associate Designer, about this mammoth project.
Journal
First of all, congratulations on the completion of this project! We know it's been a long time in the making. Can you give us a brief overview on the evolution of this project?
Sofitel is a premium hotel brand for the French company Accor. The project was envisioned as a 5 Star Sofitel hotel and to this end the design had to reflect the brand parameters of Sofitel - French, classic with a sense of place and a link with France. Given that the building was a repurposed commercial building with additional levels added, there were challenges in the planning of the spaces. The hotel today is comprised of a number of different boutique hotel rooms, premiere suites and a small conference facility with bar and restaurant.
This is a very large-scale project. As a designer, where did you begin? What was your process?
Space Studio have done a large number of hotels (both new and refit) throughout the Pacific. We have strong processes that help co-ordinate all the moving parts. The most important stage is defining the design intent which allows all future design decisions to be well coordinated.
The Sofitel Wellington is located near the Botanic Gardens which provided the design theme and inspiration. The interior concepts were further developed to reflect the botanic theme through the bar, restaurant, reception, premier suites and rooms.
With concepts developed and reviewed by Accor, next steps were the careful documentation and specification of all areas of the hotel. Following that close project management and co-ordination ensuring all the moving parts were delivered on time, installed, and finished to specification, all of which Space Studio closely managed.
How many different spaces within the hotel were there for you to work on?
The reception, bar and lobby are the first impression of the hotel. The botanic theme is established with a custom chandelier, commissioned artwork and decorative artefacts. The ‘Jardin Grill’ connects an adjacent space further developing this theme. Conference rooms and a breakout space connect via an open stair from the lobby winding around the custom chandelier. A gym is located in the basement. The guestrooms follow through to premiere suites on the top floor.
The Space Studio team: Vee Kesner - Director, Devi Lecchi - Associate Designer and Dave Sweatman - Associate Designer.
What was your overall vision for the design? What were your inspirations?
The vision for the design was to leverage on the beautiful surrounds of the botanic gardens and the Wellington’s heritage creating a vibrant, colourful, eclectic warm environment that met the Accor standards for Sofitel. This complimented well with the French nuance we drew on, creating a layered experience through the spaces with bespoke furniture pieces.
How did you refine the colour palette for the space?
The palette is comprised of layers of colours and patterns in various finishes & textures using fabrics, wallpapers, timbers and metal. All this enhanced the overall experience we were trying to create.
What fabrics from James Dunlop Textiles did you use and why?
We used a number of James Dunlop and Mokum fabrics throughout the project - specifically on chairs, sofas, headboards and accessories. Curtains and wardrobes were custom designed. All of the fabrics we chose needed to suit the application in a hotel environment, along with complimenting the theme.
The colour and pattern offering in the ranges were particularly suitable to the theme and worked beautifully to craft a luxurious experience which what we wanted to achieve. The fusion of colour and pattern is seen as you transition through various spaces linking in the botanic inspiration. We had a wonderful experience with the team at James Dunlop Textiles and it was good to see the collaborative effort.
See below a selection of the fabrics used:
What are your favourite features from the finished project?
The restaurant ‘Jardin Grill’ was a striking outcome. It expressed the feminine aspect of the design with its feature wallpaper encompassing the walls and ceiling, complemented with the French industrial inspired trellis mesh.
The penthouse premier suites were another level of luxury to cater to attract high profile clientele and this was achieved with high level of fitout and bespoke furniture pieces layered with fabric on the outside with gold trims and fabric layered on the inside in beautifully crafted headboards, wardrobes and mini bar units.
How does Sofitel Wellington speak to what guests are looking for in luxury hotels today?
It is unique, boutique and offers a level of luxury not previously prevalent in the Wellington market.
What's next for Space Studio? What exciting projects are you working on now?
We have a number of international and local projects we are working on currently. Our goal is to create that world class client experience so watch this space.
A classic collection of iconic designs by furniture designer Grant Featherston has been relaunched to inspire a new generation of design enthusiasts. Manufactured in Melbourne and revitalised with new contemporary fabrics, including some of our own, we love the results.
