Crown Metropol

Design statement

Distinctive, vibrant and unmistakably modern, the twenty-eight-level Crown Metropol hotel features a unique wave-like shape, sleek podium entry, 658 spacious, light-filled guest rooms, a luxurious day spa located on the top floors of the hotel, a sky bar and terrace on level twenty-eight, Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant and Maze Grill, extensive meeting facilities and a dedicated business centre, and a training and recruitment facility. The project provides a unique approach to spatial planning by developing the design from the inside out. The curve of the building creates an interior experience that is continually revealed for the guest. There are no long, gun-barrel corridors confronting guests, often the cause of that awful anonymous hotel experience. Using lighting, colour and architectural detail, the building’s curves were emphasized to make the interior intimate, inviting and slightly mysterious. These qualities are essential to creating the feeling that this is a boutique, “small” hotel. The designer’s collaboration with Australian and international artists, rug designers and artisans gives the interior a layered, boutique ambience rarely seen in a large hotel.

Jury comment

An outstanding project that succeeds in creating intimate-scale boutique interiors in a large-scale hotel. This has been achieved by the designers through hand-crafted elements, unique detailing and the integration of carefully selected and diverse artworks in the guest rooms and public spaces alike, creating personality and individuality. The interior planning embraces the curvaceous architectural form and creates a journey for guests. The essence of a boutique hotel experience is achieved as spaces are continually revealed to visitors with elegance, detail and delight. The layering of materials and finishes throughout the hotel is exemplary, and this is consistent within public and private spaces. Common areas are elegant but not intimidating, and guestrooms are serene and calming with personalized detailing.