The owners of Motel Flinders engaged Studio Tate to reimagine the interiors – originally built in the 1980’s – with the vision to create a warm and inviting haven for couples, families, and business travellers exploring the locale.
Early site visits revealed an extensive use of exposed brick, inside and out. Studio Tate instantly recognised the value in retaining this most dominant – and treasured– feature for its textural character and inherent environmental benefits. As a result, the project team approached the interior refurbishment with an adaptive reuse mindset, preserving the motel’s original structure and working within its existing floorplans.
Studio Tate introduced the creative narrative of ‘Neo Expressionism’ early in the process, providing a strong conceptual foundation to guide every design decision. Balancing the raw texture of the original 1980s brickwork with bold applications of colour and texture, the design colourfully references the work of artist Pasquale Giardino whose signature use of primary hues (blues, ochres, reds, and other saturated tones), echoes the vivacious energy of Melbourne’s 1980s art scene.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Hotel Designs.
