projects - Construction
Macquarie Wharf 01
Hobart Water Front
The $36million Macquarie Wharf No.1 redevelopment in the heart of Hobart docklands is a property asset showcasing Tasmanian
construction by transforming the former old wharf site into a luxury 114 room hotel and 3000m2 of retail space including restaurants, cafes, bars, a gallery and an amphitheatre for guests, tourists and locals to enjoy. The project was developed by Vos Nominees, and built under a design and construct contract by Vos Construction & Joinery Pty Ltd.
The initial works involved the removal of an empty asbestos and concrete warehouse originally a fruit, packing and shipping facility and then was intermittently used for local events until Tasports offered the property out to expressions of interest for development. The resulting modern construction retains the shape and historical essence of the original warehouse with the ground floor being predominately glass to instigate the notion of the building floating upon the Hobart waterfront from both interior and exterior views. A three-dimensional faceted façade on the ends animate the traditional gable form and create an inviting entrance to the interior spaces, the visual impact of the precast panels along the Hunter Street side of the building has been softened with a timber grain finish in the concrete. The majority of the exterior of the building is clad in white cypress timber, over 30,000 lineal metres of this timber has been sourced from sustainable plantations in New South Wales where the trees are farmed from seed to production. The timber was specifically used for its sustainability, material specification to meet fire hazard indices and durability for the location on the waterside.
Each corridor on all of the three upper levels run the full length of the building which is 120m long, the design has turned something which could have been dark and empty into an interesting space with lots of natural light by using linear skylights, glazing at each end, and large voids that connect the three levels with a Tasmanian Oak feature clad wall. The fitout concept in the ground floor reception, restaurant and bar areas reflect the history of Tasmania, beginning with the indigenous peoples through to the convicts and the early settlers. Each of hotel rooms are based on a unique Tasmanian character, and includes biographies and objects related to the character. Room sizes start from 45 square metres excluding the decks and range up to the premium corner rooms which are 100 square metres. The premium decks are surfaced with artificial grass.
The forecourt of the project is the location of what once was Hunter Island, this is where nearly 13,000 convict women and 2,000 children first set foot in Van Diemen’s Land in the early to mid-1800’s and is an important location in the settlement of Hobart. A committee called Footsteps towards Freedom engaged an internationally renowned artist, Rowan Gillespie from the UK, who created life size bronze sculptures. These sculptures have been installed on the forecourt to tell the untold story of the female convicts and their children who landed.
