128 VIRGIN AUSTRALIAMAY 2017
PRESENTED WITH BOTHthe challenge
and opportunity to compete in a tender
to convert a mid-19th century heritage-
listed civic building, Kerry Hill Architects,
with Palassis Architects and the Como
Hotels and Resorts group, knew they had
to present something special to the city.
“We started of with the idea that
the building belonged to the city and
our design focused on giving it back to
the people,” says Anneke Brown, general
manager of Como The Treasury.
“The other tenders had private lobbies
but we won because of the concept of
an internal laneway, which is filled with
cafes, shops and galleries, and is open to
the community. You don’t have to stay
at the hotel to feel welcome here.”
The challenges of refitting the heritage
building were huge. The developers had
to make three submissions in six years
because the government had changed
three times during the planning process.
“We finally were approved for a plan
that budgeted at $110 million, but we were
so pleased to be keeping the framework
and simply working within the space
already allocated,” says Brown.When the restoration work began, it involved meticulous
and painstaking details, such as stripping away original roof
tiles, sourcing their original manufacturer in Wales, sending
them across to be repaired and then refitting them on return.
The same level of attention was paid to the flooring, with more
than 100 original jarrah floorboards being pulled up and fully
reconditioned before being returned and relaid.
“Old rooms were discovered that had been forgotten about
for years,” says Brown. “It was an incredible experience for the
architects to suddenly incorporate a new part into the plans.”
By October 2015, the new hotel had opened for business,
just in time for Open House Perth and Perth Heritage Days.
“On our first weekend we had an enormous flow of people
and it was so moving to meet people who had worked in the
building in its previous life,” says Brown. “Their stories have
become our stories. We are literally building our database of
knowledge from the community.”CLOCKWISE FROM
TOPAn internal
laneway gives
Como The Treasury
a welcoming aspect;
the hotel’s restaurant,
Post; the Victorian-
era facade.COMO THE TREASURY
Perth, WAPHOTOGRAPHYALAMY, ARM ARCHITECTURE, GETTY IMAGES,JOHN GOLLINGS, LEE GRANT, MARTIN MORRELL