Shell House

Led by Woods Bagot Principal Tracey Wiles for the Point Group, Shell House contains four unique personalities in an orchestrated progression.

As a sequence, Shell House weaves a grand narrative of theatricality and escapism, distilling a storied history and transporting us to a time when people lingered. As standalones, each venue finds its own flavour of this timelessness. There are these nods to the past, but the sensorial spaces create a vivid memory of place that is distinctly 'here and now' drawing visitors back again and again.

The design has been driven by an eclectic mix of multifaceted organic tones and textures. Bespoke furniture, vintage pieces and natural materials in neutral colours are used throughout to allude to an all-new perspective on inner-city dining. Immersed in the design team was Artist in Residence, Mikey Freedom whose work merges the frivolity and indulgence of past with present. More than a backdrop, Freedom’s vivid, curated art is installed on the walls, ceilings and in furniture.

Custom-designed lighting and furniture layer the materiality, detail and uniqueness of each space. The warm yellows of the Menzies, the tonal layering of the Dining Room and Terraces, the richness of the Jarrah-lined Clocktower Bar and the sunset colours of the Sky Bar are drawn together with the thread of the burgundy feature stair and wine room. The open kitchen, the curation of found objects, the flowers and the warmth of the staff nurture the sense of being welcomed into a private home.

Shell House is historically monumental—it’s the only surviving palazzo-style sandstone building in Sydney clad with carefully restored glazed terracotta tiles. Standing at 65.5 metres high, Shell House’s façade is also one of the tallest retained heritage façades in the world. It was necessary to provide an interior with equal quality and a sense of permanence. The choice of marble floors and quality timber, marble and steel bars that will patina with use allows the venue to age with grace as the great bars and restaurants of Europe.