The Waterside Hotel brings a new level of ambition to one of Melbourne’s most historic pub sites, transforming a 1925 heritage building into a seven-storey, multi-layered hospitality destination. Eight years in the making, the project stands as one of Techne Architecture and Interior Design’s most complex and expansive undertakings, reimagining the corner of Flinders and King Streets while carefully retaining the character and presence of the original pub facade.
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The first iteration, as Techne director Justin Northrop explains, was a more modest, three-level renovation, which was documented and construction had commenced. “[Then] Melbourne was sent into Covid lockdown and all works were paused indefinitely. Out of that hiatus came a much more ambitious scheme for the site,” says Justin.
Behind the restored heritage exterior, the building has been entirely reconstructed to support a vertically stacked sequence of venues, each offering a distinct atmosphere and experience. From the ground-floor pub and beer garden through to the multi-level South-East Asian dining venue called Past/Port, and up to cocktail bars, event spaces and rooftop terraces, the Waterside Hotel unfolds as a journey upward, revealing new environments at every level.
“The desire to retain this historical site as a pub rather than allow it go to a different use (perhaps office space or apartments) meant that we had to find a greater occupancy and more diverse offering than the existing floors allowed.
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“So, the internal structure was sacrificed to make way for extra floor area and a greater variety of spaces. To preserve the character of the hotel from the street, the new and contemporary structure is recessive and tiered away from the existing facade as it rises beyond the parapets. The pub facade is well restored and illuminated, and its windows now reveal more of the activity of patrons inside the hotel,” says Justin
Designing a seven-storey venue within a heritage shell required navigating complex structural, operational and spatial constraints. Rather than limiting the project, this complexity became its defining strength, enabling a layered architectural approach that creates variety, surprise and shifting energy as visitors move through the building.
“While there are many operational challenges of a vertically arranged venue, it also has plenty of advantages. The visual connection between levels and balconies has a good voyerstic character, it is dynamic and fun. It also allows every space to have access to a balcony or terrace, and the upper levels have fantastic views,” says Justin.
Techne’s 20-year collaboration with Sand Hill Road provides a deep well of hospitality expertise and trust, essential for complex projects like The Waterside Hotel.
“When projects are getting to the scale and complexity of The Waterside Hotel, both in terms of building and running it, there isn’t much room for error and the whole team is relying on accumulated skills and trust to deliver a concept that can hit the ground running,” Justin says.