Primus Hotel Sydney
The Clients brief: To maximize the potential of the existing lobby underutilized and expansive floor area of approx. 200 m2 by creating an additional cash flow opportunity and profit center for the hotel. To introduce a new all-day dining restaurant, to accommodate approx. 100 patrons To redesign the existing Wilmot buffet restaurant into a more expansive buffet restaurant with multiple live cooking stations The client advised that the Peninsula Hotel’s foyer lobby restaurant and all-day dining buffet in Hong Kong and Shanghai were the inspiration for the lobby proposal and the perfect operational model to implement based on its successful formula.
The Challenge: The Primus hotel is in a heritage-listed building where building works are limited and subject to strict heritage guidelines and local authority controls. The proposed foyer – lobby restaurant is located within a voluminous 2 storey space and the challenge is how to create an intimate dining experience within this monumental space.. Further challenges are faced when considering the provision of all essential services required to operate this all day dining restaurant such as power, water, waste and mechanical exhaust systems. Careful consideration and thought must be given in order to achieve the clients objective without disturbing the heritage building’s structure and fabric.
Operational Design solution: The operational design solution proposed is one that extends the existing front of house kitchen area to accommodate the additional cooking, refrigerated equipment and food displays required to facilitate the new lobby restaurant. The existing essential services such as power, water, waste and mechanical exhaust system can also be extended to accomodate this new kitchen area with minimal disruption. The existing back of house preparation and wash up area is to be upgraded by adding additional kitchen equipment, benches and refrigerated units to accommodate a new larder and preparation area to support the front of house kitchen.
