In just 10 days’ time, when Indesign’s ‘Social Spaces’ issue launches, we’ll be taking you on an intimate tour of Society. Until that time, we’re here to give you a sneak peak of what’s to come.
November 4th, 2021
When Indesign’s Jan Henderson met up with Russell & George to visit two of their latest hospitality projects, little did she know that she would find herself immersed into one of Melbourne’s most stunning new hospitality destinations. Pre-order your copy of Indesign’s ‘Social Spaces’ issue for the full story.
Society has been three years in the making, located in the dress circle of Melbourne’s most prestigious retail and hospitality precincts, at 80 Collins.
Society captures the energy of Melbourne – and no doubt the joy of a city eagerly exiting lockdown.
The Russell & George way
Russell & George, headed up by Ryan Russell and Byron George, has a knack for breaking all the golden rules in retail and hospitality. They prefer to deep dive into the research phase and understand the client from every facet.
They’re also not adverse to slamming vastly disparate operating models, to create new narratives and offer us the escapism and delight we often seek out from hospitality experiences.
Like Melbourne’s great rooms – The Flinders Street Station Ballroom, the NGV Great Hall – each room within Society conjures that iconic experience – the type that dwells in your memory for months afterward.
It speaks to Russell & George’s deep connection to the city, and intention to create a sense of permanence.
Society sets out a new narrative
Clashing aesthetics of art deco, mid-century, art nouveau and brutalism, the studio has executed a series of spaces that deeply connect you to the city, and establish a sense of permanence.
From the Society Dining Room to the Lillian Terrace, through to the Society Lounge and private dining spaces, Russell & George deftly blur that transition between each location. The design entices you with hints of what you are about to experience.
The intent is to whet the appetite, make you want more, and offer a glimpse into the next space, and the next after that.
Every furniture item, fixture and finish is deeply considered. And more often than not, they are bespoke designed by Russell & George for Society. The jewel in the centre of this crown is the three chandeliers that hang within the main dining space and bar.
“It’s not often you’re given the opportunity to not just work on a project of this calibre, but get to design every part of it too,” says Russell. A feast for the eyes, and the stomach.
Pre-order your copy of Indesign magazine, the ‘Social Spaces’ issue, and take a deep dive into every intimate detail of this impressive fit-out.
Photography by Sean Fennessy
Russell & George
russellandgeorge.com
..
The full version of this story will appear in Indesign #85. Subscribe now.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Found within the verdant landscape of Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Sona Reddy’s design for this authentic Andhra restaurant adeptly fuses textural rhythms with traditional materials.
Extrapolating the typology of farmhouse architecture, Cameron Anderson Architects (CAARCH) has drawn on the local architecture of Mudgee in both form and materiality to deliver a surprising suite of buildings.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Wood Marsh, a practice that spans 40 years, has been the first to design many of Melbourne’s landmark infrastructure projects – including the monumental noise walls along the Eastern Freeway (the first non-building to receive the Victorian Architecture Medal), Eastlink, the Geelong bypass and the pedestrian bridge at the west end of Bourke Street. The […]
Suitable for dual and multi-screen configurations, this monitor arm from Colebrook Bosson Sanders breaks new ground in terms of usability and ergonomic design.