The ‘Grand Old Lady’ of Abbortsford is back - The Terminus Hotel re-opens.
A Melbourne institution has awoken from its slumber. The ‘grand old lady’ of Abbotsford, The Terminus Hotel, is back thanks to an inspiring collaboration between Sand Hill Road and Techné Architecture + Interior Design. The quintessentially Melbourne watering hole has returned from its long enforced hiatus to once again grace Abbotsford’s Victoria Street with its lovingly restored façade and promise of good times and frivolity within its green walls.
Following a number of successful creative collaborations including the recently renovated Prahran Hotel, Sand Hill Road once again turned to renowned hospitality design team Techné Architecture + Interior Design to help them resurrect and reinvigorate the Terminus Hotel. Sand Hill Road provided Techné director, Justin Northrop, with two criteria; the first, to deliver a unique design that caters for today’s patrons while also acknowledging the venue’s illustrious past and the second, to create a lush garden space offering local residents respite from the surrounding concrete jungle and a meeting place for their family and friends.
“The venue has been almost completely dwarfed by apartment developments in recent years and it seemed entirely appropriate to provide a lush oasis for patrons surrounded by the ever increasing urban sprawl. The challenge was creating a space that provides an increasing level of amenity while also retaining the much-loved character of the pub. “The original heritage protected façade, built in 1923, has been restored, but the famous green paint-job will remain. The interiors are a modern interpretation of the original pub, with the focal point being the art deco-inspired front bar. In contrast, the spectacularly kitsch upstairs ‘Paris Tropical’ bar space is a nod to the Terminus’ flamboyant history. The circulation between the internal spaces and the sprawling urban jungle beer garden is designed to be continuous and allows patrons to explore the pub and check out what else is going on throughout the venue,” says Northrop.
The new island public bar draws inspiration from the art deco era with antique gloss tiles and is connected overhead with striking copper tanks which will pump fresh, unpasteurised Carlton Draught directly to the glasses of thirsty locals - the next best thing to tasting it straight from the brewery, located only 2 minutes away. The centerpiece of the breathtaking top to bottom redesign is undoubtedly its lush 150 square metre beer garden with nine metre high glass ceiling and 2 outdoor bars. Designed to emulate a forest canopy, the two level ‘urban jungle’ comes complete with full sized Waterhousea Floribunda trees and huge steel columns set at random angles that will become a living, breathing oasis offering patrons plenty of opportunity to chill out, relax and soak up the unique surroundings.
The various bar areas in the pub offer very differing experiences but are all inextricably linked together to provide patrons with an interactive and connected pub experience few venues can match. With a 516 patron capacity, the pub is served by five bars and will have 72 seats available for reservation, as well as function spaces for up to 80 people on the outdoor terrace and 150 people in the upstairs lounge.
The Terminus Hotel is located at 605 Victoria Street, Abbotsford and is open from midday until late on weekdays and until 3am Friday and Saturday evenings. For further information or bookings for dining or private functions, contact 03 9427 0615 or visit www.theterminushotel.com.au.
For more info on Techné Architecture + Interior Design, visit http://www.techne.com.au
