QHA_March 2018_Electronic_s
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PROFILE<br />
Photos: Crows Nest Hotel<br />
DRIVEN BY DESIGN<br />
<strong>QHA</strong> REVIEW | 34<br />
Darren Dickfos Architects (DDA) capped off an eventful<br />
2017 with one of its major projects winning the AHA<br />
National Award for Excellence for Best Redeveloped<br />
Hotel (General Division). Its redesign of the heritagelisted<br />
north Sydney entertainment venue, the Crows<br />
Nest Hotel, turned a well-used and dilapidated building<br />
interior into a vibrant array of intriguing multi-purpose<br />
spaces.<br />
Before the $8 million redevelopment the 3-storey<br />
“Crowie” was largely run out of the ground floor; the<br />
two upstairs floors being former accommodation<br />
facilities that the owners, ALH Group, had adapted into<br />
office space for its state headquarters.<br />
DDA’s task was to reconfigure every level of the<br />
building starting with the basement, which was<br />
opened out to include a loading bay and a refurbished<br />
cellar and storage area. Next, alterations at groundlevel<br />
saw the creation of the hotel’s chic new One<br />
Willoughby Bar, a new Bistro that doubles as a live<br />
band venue, and a gaming lounge.<br />
A massive re-working of the first floor saw office space<br />
transformed into function rooms, a cocktail bar, a roof<br />
top lounge and a distinguished lounge bar complete<br />
with wood panelling and chesterfield couches.<br />
Meanwhile, ALH’s office space was consolidated in a<br />
fresh fit-out of the top floor.<br />
DDA director Darren Dickfos says he’s extremely proud<br />
of the end result and the positive feedback from the<br />
client and patrons.<br />
“Each area has its own identity, yet seamlessly flows<br />
from space to space,” he says.<br />
“This provides patrons with a variety of environs in<br />
which to enjoy—from quiet private nooks, open air<br />
rooftop spaces overlooking other bar areas below, to<br />
funky crowd-thumping live band lounges.<br />
“Each area also has multiple uses. The chesterfield<br />
filled lounge can go from a refined place to meet your<br />
business associates to a function room for that upmarket<br />
corporate event. The trendy bistro can be reset<br />
as a place to have a quiet drink after work and then<br />
transform into a late night entertainment venue.”<br />
DDA was also responsible for designing the recent<br />
revamp of the Isa Hotel’s Rodeo Bar and Grill owned
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