Design firm: Alexander & Co., Sydney

The details: Reimagined by local firm Alexander & Co., Woolwich Pier Hotel, a revamp of a circa-1885 pub in the Sydney suburb of Hunters Hill, now includes a ground-floor sports bar, dining area with a large outdoor courtyard, and first-floor bar complete with a balcony.

To deliver the client’s brief for a bright, fresh, and flexible space, the designers explored European midcentury style, opting for reclaimed and restored furniture while preserving exposed brick. “As a building that has changed hands multiple times, it had collected many architectural remnants—concrete, steel, brick, and timber—requiring sensitive structural strategy,” says Alexander & Co. principal and founder Jeremy Bull.

Further, Bull responded to the building’s masculine bones by adding in feminine touches, including velvet, linen, marble, and brass. Yet, it’s a new staircase that truly defies eras. With its layers of construction exposed, it successfully “celebrates the heritage of the architectural form,” he says, “repurposing the structural integrity of the building while breathing new life into its interior.”

This article originally appeared in HD’s February 2020 issue.