In response to the expansive space of Melbourne’s new Hightail Bar, local design firm Techné Architecture took an unusual starting point for its design cues, by looking to Graeme Base’s children’s book, The Waterhole, for inspiration.
As a result, the quirky venue is layered with texture and colour, including columns covered in jungle murals; curved timber booths; and ceilings created using stalactite formations that impede sight lines, creating intimate zones.
There are two bars: the beer bar is finished in copper, cork, concrete and tiles laid in patterned waves like those found in 1930s Australian pubs; while the wine bar features timber, brass and royal blue carpeting. Fast fare from three vendors – Mr Burgers, Belle’s Hot Chicken and Super Taco – can all be ordered via an app and delivered to tables.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
727 Collins Street
-
Restoring São Paulo: Planta’s mesmerising Brazilian brand of midcentury ‘urban recycling’Brazilian developer Planta Inc set out to restore São Paulo’s historic centre and return it to the heyday of tropical modernism
-
10 books culture editor Hannah Silver recommends this winterLacking inspiration over what to read next? Wallpaper* culture editor, Hannah Silver, shares her favourite books
-
Midtown Manhattan restaurant Ánimo! takes its cues from Mexican morning ritualsDesigner Jordana Maisie creates a minimalistic yet referential setting for Ánimo!
-
Australian heritage meets European grandeur at Copperstone, a New South Wales retreatCopperstone is New South Wales’ answer to the European country estate, and includes a five-bedroom retreat, set in 48 acres
-
Tap into local creativity at The StandardX, MelbourneThe StandardX, Melbourne is the first hotel in The Standard Group's new breed of ‘younger and rebellious’ properties
-
Basq House is the eclectic-cool stay to know in Byron BayDesigned by StudioFAB and Léo Terrando, Basq House reverberates with the Australian town’s laid-back beach culture and artistic spirit
-
Discover Beau Sydney, an intimate two-part restaurant enlivening the city’s lanewaysBeau Sydney dishes up contemporary Australian cuisine, from baked goods to regional wines, amid elegant interiors by Smart Design Studio
-
Inside The Ghan train across Australia, new carriage interiors elevate a classic tripThe Ghan’s new carriage interiors designed by Woods Bagot reimagine modern rail travel for this epic trip between Darwin and Adelaide
-
Sydney’s The Darling shows off its playful and sophisticated suitesThe Darling in Sydney unveils its recently renovated suites by Fender Katsalidis, paying homage to the surrounding cityscape
-
St Ali & The Queen elevates Melbourne’s coffee culture with modern brews and brutalismSt Ali & The Queen is a Fiona Lynch Office-designed café and cocktail bar in Melbourne’s revitalised Queen Victoria Market
-
Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge returns to full splendourKangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge reopens in one of Australia’s wildest and most enchanting remote corners, following the devastating 2019 bushfires
