Cowes, Phillip Island
John McAuley Architecture were commissioned to reinvigorate the renown Continental Hotel. The original 1970’s building had become run down and was no longer fit for purpose.
The design solution proposed a deft balance of addition and subtraction. Internal walls and façade cladding were removed, exposing the concrete structure and facilitating large expanses of north facing glazing, opening the facility up to the spectacular views of Westernport Bay. Along the length of the north façade, a new outdoor dining deck was designed to be built over existing infrastructure which not only provided valuable additional floor area, but also facilitated a more active interface with the streetscape. Internally, the restrained palette of materials for the fit-out aimed to compliment the simple, raw aesthetic of the exposed concrete structure.
Working for such a complex commercial enterprise requires designs that are cutting edge, conscious of minimising disruption to the day to day running of facilities, and considerate of capital & ongoing maintenance expenditure.
