Refurbishment

Concept to completion

Mercure Hotel on North Quay in Brisbane represents the second property in the Mercure brand stable in the Asia Pacific region to undergo refurbishment as part of the brand’s new Dédicaces design standard, which was introduced globally by Accor in 2012.

Accor engaged WMK Architecture for the project, following on from the success of the Mercure Melbourne Treasury gardens on Spring St in Melbourne.

WMK, an innovative design firm, with a range of expertise spanning commercial, lifestyle residential, hotel and resort design, has offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and therefore were ideally placed to deliver for the project having both local presence in Brisbane and an office in Sydney close to Accor headquarters.

John Andreas, director, describes the strategy and concepts behind this recently completed project and, at the end, provides a taste of the exciting new direction Mercure is taking in its lobby and reception design.

Concept: The design of the guest rooms and suites was developed around the concept of the city meets the river, introducing elements of the broader natural, urban and cultural landscape of Brisbane into the interiors. In particular, the cultural richness of the city has been expressed in the design of key interior elements including the custom carpet and feature bed head element.

The hotel faces Brisbane River and is located directly opposite the Queensland Museum, State Library and Gallery of Modern Art and a strong artistic influence imbues the rooms including the custom artwork commissioned specifically for the project and the WMK-designed custom carpet. The overall effect is a layering of rich urban and cultural references which feel appropriate for a city such as Brisbane, which blends a relaxed, informal lifestyle approach with a growing sophistication in its cultural and design pursuits.

Design features: A bold approach was taken to the design of key interior elements including feature bed head, free standing desk and dramatic portal element that resolves the window and frames the spectacular views of the river and city.

Fixed finishes have been kept simple and neutral to allow the feature carpet and bed head artwork to generate a sense of drama and richness in the space. The carpet design features a strong, charcoal base wall to wall with vivid splashes of colour which zone the room and reference the Mercure brand standard colours as well as local references. The design uses a sophisticated gradient technique to allow the colours to “spill” across the room and blend with other design elements in a striking and sophisticated way.

Colour palette: Neutral, classic palette of colours for the ‘shell’ of each room is comprised of rich, muted natural tones including charcoal, stone grey and chalk white. These represent a base palette that anchors the space and helps to address any imperfections in existing wall and ceiling surfaces.

FF&E: As with all its projects, WMK combined a selection of off the shelf and bespoke furniture pieces for the Mercure Brisbane room refurbishment, ensuring that the rooms offer the functionality that is demanded by guests while offering a unique point of difference and local flavour, which is part of the personality of the Mercure brand.
A mixture of classic designs such as the Bertoia wire chair is partnered with crisp timber dining chairs and upholstered chaise lounges that anchor the space and provide the perfect spot for entertaining or relaxing.

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Artwork: Key to the new brand standard design for Mercure is the feature bed head joinery element which incorporates commissioned artwork from local artists. In the case of the Mercure Brisbane, a stunning custom artwork was commissioned to capture the unique, sinuous nature of the Brisbane river and references indigenous Australian motif in a bold, black and white graphic style.

The work has been digitally printed onto a heavy-duty fabric and upholstered onto the joinery bed head with foam backing incorporated for guest comfort and durability.

Lighting: As always, lighting was a critical element in transforming the existing guest rooms and a particular focus was placed on offering a variety of illumination options throughout the room and bathroom to cater for different guest preferences, functional requirements and time of day.

Rather than central light fittings that provide bland general illumination, WMK specified a combination of ceiling-mounted spots, wall lights, and decorative pendant fittings designed specifically for the project. The combination of light sources and fittings – together with individual controls – provides the guest with ultimate flexibility in terms of mood and control and creates a stunning first impression upon entering the room or suite in the evening.

Bathrooms: Bathrooms underwent a full refurbishment including removal of baths and all new joinery, finishes, sanitary ware and an accessories. New shower stalls with frameless glass screens and luxurious rain showers help to increase the sense of space and contribute to a ‘day spa’ feel which is more akin to a resort environment.

Large format vitrified ceramic tiles, re-constituted stone vanities and colour-back glass panels in clean, neutral tones convey a bold, contemporary aesthetic in the space as well as being easy to maintain for housekeeping staff. And whimsical feature tiles and decorative pendant fittings provide visual delight and a point of difference.

Suites: Suite offerings at the hotel include Studio and expansive Executive Suites, all located on the top levels of the hotel. The design for these spaces extends and elaborates upon the concepts featured in guest rooms and includes new features such as kitchenettes, generous lounge and dining areas and fully appointed four point bathrooms.

Corridors: As part of the project, each of the corridors in the 11-storey building were refurbished with works including new custom carpets, paint finishes to wall and ceilings and an all-new approach to lighting.
The aim of the corridor design was to create a rich, moody experience, reducing overall light levels and introducing a darker colour palette. As a key part of the guest experience and link between lobby, lift and guest room, the corridors represented an opportunity to create a sense of drama and raise the guests’ expectations of their arrival at the guest room.

A bold, geometric carpet design creates immediate impact upon entering the corridor and draws the eye forward. A combination of narrow focussed down lighting and decorative wall fittings provides a modulation of light and generates visual interest and drama through the corridor space.

Next phase – lobby refurbishment: Following the completion of the guest room and suite refurbishment, WMK was engaged to refurbish the ground floor lobby and reception of the hotel. The project is currently in concept design phase and represents an exciting new phase for the Mercure brand globally due to the introduction of an entirely new approach to the reception, check-in and general lobby experience.

Based around the concept of a table d’hôte (host table), this new approach turns the conventional check-in experience on its head, instead offering a much more intimate, flexible solution that aligns with the global trend towards breaking down the separation between guest and staff member.

In addition, the whole lobby space will be transformed into an Activity Based Lobby Experience something that offers guests and visitors complete flexibility in how they choose to use, work and interact in the space. 

WMK has brought its unique combination of workplace, hospitality and hotel expertise to bear on what promises to be a revolutionary new concept not only for Mercure but also for the hotel industry more broadly. The refurbished lobby will be unveiled in early 2014.

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