DEPARTURES TRAVEL URBAN
DEPARTURES TRAVEL URBAN PRIMER 30 Sydney’s Shining Stars It’s an exciting time as a clutch of openings brings a new spark to the Harbour City. by Carrie Hutchinson CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: IWAN BAAN, ROB PALMER, © HARRY’S BY GIULS, © SALA
TIMOTHY KAYE Right: Capella Sydney’s Aperture eatery is crowned by a kinetic sculpture entitled Meadow; opposite page, clockwise from top left: Yayoi Kusama’s outsized Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos at the Art Gallery of NSW’s new contemporary sculpture garden; chef Josh Niland and wife Julie of Petermen; the colourful offerings at Harry’s by Giuls; the sophisticated interior of waterfront seafood eatery Sala ABOVE US, flower sculptures bloom and close independently of one another. This installation by Studio Drift called Meadow is captivating. So mesmerising, in fact, it pulls focus from a seven-metre green wall growing beside Aperture, the foyer area at the new Capella Sydney (capellahotels.com) where afternoon tea is served each day. Throughout the entire hotel, the refinement of such details has taken seven years, as two heritage-listed buildings – the former departments of Agriculture (built in 1930) and Education (1912) – have been transformed into the seventh hotel for the Singaporean luxury brand. Meticulous is the best word to describe the restoration work. Re-creating and replacing the ceiling moulding on level six, home to the gym, pool and Auriga Spa, took two years. Throughout Capella there are 192 rooms – 147 of them have different layouts – including 31 suites. The most spectacular have floor-to-ceiling views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the harbour. Contemporary appointments are a soothing complement to the historical details and the location in Sydney’s Sandstone Precinct. Everything from the 400 pieces of art to the Sandstone Lager, made exclusively by local brewery Young Henrys for the hotel, is directly connected to Sydney. Then there are the “Culturists”. “They are the custodians of Australian culture,” says general manager Marc von Arnim, explaining these integral staff members have been trained by Indigenous leaders and consultants from the Museum of NSW to know everything about the city and the building. “It’s not about being the best hotel,” continues von Armin. “We want to be a destination, a place people like being in. It’s where culture, heritage and hospitality are brought together by storytelling.” The opening of Capella indicates a new vibrancy in the Harbour City. It’s not the only big name opening new rooms. W Sydney (marriott. com), its curved form like a mirrored sail already a feature of the Darling Harbour horizon, will fling open its doors in October. The expanded room capacity will no doubt be a boon as two large events come to town. Throughout 2023, the Sydney Opera House (sydneyoperahouse.com) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, while the innovation conference and all-round party, SXSW Sydney (sxswsydney.com), touches down from 15 to 22 October. It’s the first time since 1987 the event has left its hometown of Austin, Texas. On Oxford Street, the Oxford & Foley redevelopment (oxfordandfoley. com.au) will transform character buildings on three blocks into office space for creative industries, retail, a dining precinct and boutique hotel. This is the centre of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community and was once a major nightlife district. Its first stage, due to launch towards the end of the year, has its first major tenants confirmed: Sony Music and Lune Croissanterie in its first Sydney location. On the edge of the city, the Art Gallery of NSW (artgallery.nsw.gov. au) has expanded, opening a new standalone building and sculpture garden connected to the original building by a public art garden. The AU4 million “Sydney Modern” project, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANNA, incorporates a dynamic series of gallery spaces featuring works from the gallery’s contemporary collection, as well as commissioned pieces. Perhaps the most impressive are Adrián Villar Rojas’s epic sculptures installed in a huge underground World War II fuel store known as the Tank. Another feature of the new art gallery building is MOD Dining ( moddining.com.au), where chef Clayton Wells is serving innovative modern-Australian fare. It’s just one of a multitude of new dining options in the city. Josh Niland, renowned for 31 DEPARTURES
