1 Hotel Melbourne by FK and One Design Office
For its first Asia-Pacific offering, American luxury hotelier 1 Hotels has woven together style and sustainability to create a landmark project on Melbourne’s Yarra River.
Luxury lifestyle brand 1 Hotels has opened its first Australian location, 1 Hotel Melbourne, set along 220 metres of direct Yarra River frontage in the revitalised Seafarers mixed-use precinct in Docklands. Developed in collaboration with Riverlee and designed by FK with interiors by One Design Office, the hotel centres on the adaptive reuse of the historic Goods Shed No. 5.
The project features more than 2,000 original elements from the shed, including bluestone pavers, steel trusses, timber doors and window frames.
Originally constructed in 1894 and modernised in 1942, the shed once played a key role in the city’s maritime industry. FK principal architect Falk Peuser says 1 Hotel Melbourne’s design draws on the shed’s vernacular as well as the site’s broader urban context. “The facade features two distinct volumetric forms: the lower hotel levels, which reference the angular side panels of Goods Shed No. 5, and the upper levels, which express the dynamic, everchanging nature of the river,” he says. “The resulting sculptural building is grounded in its history while remaining forward-looking and responsive to its natural surroundings.”
The project by the US-based company – part of the Starwood Hotels group – features more than 2,000 original elements from the shed, including bluestone pavers, steel trusses, timber doors and window frames. The adjacent Malcolm Moore crane, an industrial relic and the last of its kind in Victoria, has been restored and repositioned as a sculptural tribute to the area’s maritime heritage.
Celebrating the city’s past while embracing the future through biophilic design elements and a commitment to sustainability are key to the hotel’s ethos. “1 Hotel Melbourne brings sustainability and style into harmony, with a focus on wellness, local connection and day-to-night programming that creates a tangible sense of place,” says Raul Leal, CEO of Starwood Hotels. “From the moment you arrive, you feel like you’re part of the city.”
A visceral connection to nature is evident throughout. The towering lobby is anchored by a striking wall crafted in split-face granite, an industrial by-product that echoes Victoria’s coastal geology. More than 4,500 square metres of reclaimed timber have been incorporated, most strikingly for the reception desk, crafted from repurposed elms from the Metro Tunnel project. In the elegant lounge, decommissioned railway bridges have been reimagined as a dramatic sweeping staircase, while the Crane Bar & Lounge is fitted with period glass window panes. Greenery plays a major role, too: more than 7,000 plants bring Victoria’s biodiversity to vivid life.
The 277 guestrooms, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the Yarra River and the city, feature walls made from discarded railway sleepers; room numbers appear on reclaimed timber panels created from subaquatic piers salvaged during the wharf restoration. The hotel’s ecologically minded approach is also reflected in elements such as smart thermostats, energy-saving switches and low-VOC materials.
Additional to the striking hotel are 114 luxury waterfront residences, with interiors by Carr. The crowning jewel is the 18th-floor penthouse designed by Riverlee founder Clement Lee in collaboration with FK.
For David Lee, development director at Riverlee, the partnership with 1 Hotels has culminated in a “luxury destination that honours the past while setting new benchmarks for environmental stewardship.
“The project perfectly embodies our commitment to creating visionary developments that respect our city’s past while building for its future.”
