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
-
Peek inside Uchronia’s celadon green suite at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde ParkThe Paris-based studio teamed up with Pantone to transform a suite at the storied hotel into an aquatic dreamscape. Here’s how to check in
-
This legendary villa was built for the Cuban government. Now it’s The Future Perfect’s new Miami galleryWith Villa Paula, the boundary-pushing collectible design gallery expands its footprint
-
Hassan Hajjaj's vibrant portraits put Moroccan women at the centre of the storyFor more than three decades, the visual artist has been making portraits that centre Moroccan culture, albeit through a subversive lens. Now, an exhibition in Toronto explores the sporty facet of his portraits
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
The Calile Hotel is an urban resort reframing BrisbaneA seven-storey refuge in Fortitude Valley, The Calile Hotel bridges tropical retro with urban polish, elevating Brisbane’s hospitality landscape
-
Mondrian makes waves at Burleigh Heads with a striking Australian debutMondrian Gold Coast emerges as a sculptural new anchor for Burleigh Heads, pairing surf-side glamour with global polish
-
Rediscover a classic midcentury hotel in SydneyFK leads a major renovation of the landmark Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel, pairing 1960s modernism with an elevated, Australian-minded reset
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter: ‘a lush restaurant with rooms’In Sydney’s Paddington, chef Josh Niland opens the 14-bedroom luxury hotel alongside his pioneering restaurant
-
Book a brutalist one-room wonder Down Under, the Vipp Tunnel in TasmaniaThe Danish design brand's bookable showcases arrive in the southern hemisphere, thanks to the vision of Tasmanian architectural firm Room 11
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Eve Hotel Sydney: a lush urban escapeA new Sydney hotel makes a bold and biophilic addition to a buzzing neighbourhood that’s on the up
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Lo Scoglio: an Australian vacation rental with regenerative principlesTucked away in Byron Bay’s hinterland, an Italian-style farmhouse presents a sustainable approach to luxury
