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Issue 59 - The Life Outside Issue

Issue 59

The Life Outside Issue

Introducing the Life Outside issue of Habitus magazine. With life increasingly being absorbed into a digital space, there is never a more important moment to hold something tangible. In this context, the power of nature to have a physiological impact on our sense of wellbeing has never been more important. So how can we cultivate the benefits of the our natural environment in the most intimate of places – our homes? This was the question that helped to bring this issue of Habitus to life.

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Dinner by Heston Blumenthal has begun its new journey at its second home, Crown Towers Melbourne
HospitalityAndrew McDonald

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal has begun its new journey at its second home, Crown Towers Melbourne

Australia

The Australian restaurant of the esteemed and internationally famous chef, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal has been designed by Bates Smart to offer diners an architectural experience to match the experimental and exciting food served within.


Now located on the third floor of Crown Towers Melbourne, the 120-person dining room overlooks the iconic Melbourne skyline across the Yarra. The space itself formerly housed a six-month residency of Heston’s trademark Fat Duck restaurant, Dinner by Heston Blumthal marks the first time the international superstar has established a permanent dining restaurant outside of the UK.

Upon entering, guests’ eyes are immediately drawn towards an animated kaleidoscope, accompanied by a signature aroma based on the notes of damp moss, wood smoke and leather. A concealed, Japanese-style sliding panel reveals the restaurant and show kitchen in full. This experiential and avant-garde approach to design reflects Blumenthal’s own cooking design – there is experiment in the design, but a sense of familiarity grounds things in the real.

Bates Smart paid particular attention to the lighting of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, working with renowned lighting designers Electrolight to craft a series of custom fittings in order to properly set the mood of the dining experience. The result is a series of sumptuous pools of light, which focus on the areas that are most likely to feature guests; dining areas, cocktail lounge and private dining spaces. This allows details such as food presentation, table tops, bar and kitchen to emerge from the darkness. Inspired by the Tudor rose, the textured ceiling pattern is drawn from a motif originally used in the design of the chandeliers in Heston’s London restaurant, tying the two spaces together thematically.

A custom illustration surrounding the chef’s table, designed by English artist Dave McKean, completes the atmosphere of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, and depicts a series of Australiana iconography.

Bates Smart
batessmart.com

Crown Towers Melbourne
crownmelbourne.com.au

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About the Author

Andrew McDonald

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Interior ArchitectureInterior Design


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Issue 59 - The Life Outside Issue

Issue 59

The Life Outside Issue

Introducing the Life Outside issue of Habitus magazine. With life increasingly being absorbed into a digital space, there is never a more important moment to hold something tangible. In this context, the power of nature to have a physiological impact on our sense of wellbeing has never been more important. So how can we cultivate the benefits of the our natural environment in the most intimate of places – our homes? This was the question that helped to bring this issue of Habitus to life.

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