There’s so much going on at the new $110m precinct in Penrith, it’s hard to know where to start. First, there is Penrith’s very first five-star hotel – the 153-room Pullman Sydney Penrith, complete with sleek interiors and a state-of-the-art gym. Then, within the hotel, you’ll find Marcel Bar and Bistro, a high-end culinary destination, as well as its sister bar, Tori. Finally, there is the 1000-seat, 1250-square-metre Western Sydney Conference Centre.

Taken together, these parts form a whole that makes an important statement about Western Sydney. Top-class hotel and conference facilities, as well as outstanding food and dining options, come together here to add new facilities and layers of sophistication to the area.

Design sophistication, however, isn’t the new part. Marcel Bar and Bistro’s name is in fact a reference to a local architectural landmark that perhaps doesn’t garner enough attention in Sydney: the Torin Building, designed by Marcel Breuer with Harry Seidler in  1975-76. It’s located only minutes away from the new precinct and stands as a rare and intact example of a late-twentieth-century Modernist industrial building.

Turner Studio has designed the interiors of Marcel Bar and Bistro, as well as the overall hotel and conference centre precinct, with delightful touches to evoke some of this heritage. Breuer’s iconic Cesco chairs feature in the space, while a general aesthetic language of subdued primary colours and neat modern lines speak to the Modernist and Bauhaus context.

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The hospitality venue is set to become a genuine culinary hotspot. Executive chef, Colin Chun, is focused on showcasing the region’s produce by collaborating with ethically driven local producers including Sun’s Fresh Farm and Heng Fresh Farm in Western Sydney Parklands, certified organic Rita’s Farm in Wallacia, and free range and organic egg supplier Clarendon Farms.

The interior design also celebrates wine through the placement of a striking open cellar, part of a wider aesthetic that uses warm timber panelling and soft tones. A central staircase running through a high void connects this upstairs hospitality venue with its more relaxed sister venue, Tori, on the ground floor.

“We’re bringing back old-school hospitality with a touch of elegance, attention to detail, and also some really interactive experiences to enrich our guests’ enjoyment,” says Akshay Arora, director of food and beverage.

The hotel itself features smart integrated controls in all rooms. A tailored Sleep Therapy Menu, one of the first of its kind in Australia and providing services such as a pillow menu, is available on guests’ in-room tablets.

“We believe in giving people a great night’s sleep so they feel refreshed, recharged and ready for whatever their day has in store for them,” says, general manager, Glen Erickson. “Our unique sleep therapy services offer a way for our guests to discover their best sleep yet.”

Elsewhere, the fifth-level gym and wellness centre features top-class equipment as well as views to the Blue Mountains. Completing the wellness focus is a custom sauna for ten people, while landscaping completed by Oculus taps into the curvilinear theme of the building that references the local Nepean River.

Upon arrival in the lobby area, the visitor is greeted by paintings set on a fragmented sandstone wall, including work by award-winning Aboriginal artist, Gloria Petyarre. Lounges on each level also feature landscape paintings by Archibald-winner, John Olsen AO OBE, and are aimed at creating mixed use spaces for quiet studies or an after-dinner drink.

“With its prime location in Penrith, guests can expect a unique experience that combines the tranquillity of the Blue Mountains with the vibrant energy of Sydney,” says Accor Pacific chief executive officer, Sarah Derry. “We are confident that Pullman Sydney Penrith will elevate the hospitality landscape in the region and provide an unforgettable stay for both business and leisure travellers.”

The Western Sydney Conference Centre adjoins the hotel and, with its 6.8-metre-high ceilings, is aimed at hosting conferences, events, formal dinners and wedding celebrations. The design focuses on flexibility and technology. Wireless audio-visual technology and smart wall mechanics, for instance, mean that the space can be transformed from mixed layout to a single room in less than an hour.

“Penrith deserves this recognition,” says Erickson in summary. “It’s a vibrant city of its own with a need for somewhere iconic to celebrate special occasions; a place where locals can invite others from near and far and show off the pride of Penrith.”

Turner
turnerstudio.com.au

Western Sydney Conference Centre
westernsydneyconferencecentre.com.au

Photography
Courtesy of Pullman Penrith and WSCC

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