TFE Hotels’ Vibe Hotel Adelaide is set to become a flagship for the brand when it opens its doors on March 1, making the presence of Vibe in every state and territory in the country.
The 123-room hotel – with 18 storeys of glass frontage – has been designed by Australian architecture studio, Loucas Zahos Architects to provide a ‘retreat in the city’ experience, with an elevated but casual atmosphere.
Several different room and suite categories are available for guests with all upper-level rooms featuring exposed concrete ceilings, warm wood finishes, and in-room photography sourced from local artist Alex Frayne.
The hotel features a suspended bridge pool alongside a pedestrian bridge that connect the hotel and the neighbouring ONE Apartments. While on the ground level, Storehouse Flinders East restaurant and bar features a courtyard and dining terrace with festoon lighting and curved garden beds filled with native plants.
“The bottom line is that we wanted to do things in a very South Australian way,” said Loucas Zahos Senior Architect, Pasquo Cassetta.
“Let’s just say you’ll know you’re in Adelaide, not in Paris, when you visit this hotel.”
Local artist and metal worker, Jeremy Herbert of Iron Edge Design was commissioned to design a 15-metre chandelier that forms the centrepiece of the lobby.
“His exceptional design vision, especially when accompanied by the beautiful selection of Australian timbers and clever lighting installed, has created a remarkable sense of arrival that will definitely speak to guests,” said Cassetta.
The chandelier is suspended from the raw concrete ceiling using acrylic rods that will be illuminated to ‘glow’ differently over a 24-hour cycle.
“The idea is to change the light colour to become brighter or softer and suit the different moods of the day, tailoring ambiance in this important reception zone,” Herbert said.
Herbert created a second artwork, based on a photograph of the location from around 1960, using perforated timber panels.
A third pressed metal artwork that sits on the western façade of the building references the local Kaurna culture. A collaboration between Australian born artist Stefan Bruneder and Kaurna Meyunna artists, Susan Williams, and Karl Telfer, the piece depicts a full-year lifecycle for traditional owners of the land and features 120 different local motifs and totems throughout.
The hotel completes the Flinders East Precinct – a 20-year project by Adelaide-based developer GuavaLime.