The VIP Gaming refurbishment of Adelaide’s SkyCity Opal Room was completed in late August 2021. Brilliantly conceived by design consultancy White Forest Design (WFD) the interiors subtly reference local Australian opal mining.
If there is one word to describe WFD it is passion.
Passion to understand and hear their clients; Passion driving their fundamental biophilic design processes; Passion to source Australian first and invest in quality furniture and finishes that will last; and passion to create a life beautifully designed without LITERALLY costing the “Earth.”
The Brief
“The design process is always a team effort,” says Design Director Amanda Primett of White Forest Design. “Extracting a clear decisive brief is key and often the client has ideas. We always explore these ideas and then show options that meet the brief and further open opportunities.
Club and hospitality owners know their patrons intimately, hearing and meeting these needs is key. Once done you can start to integrate the design studio’s vision.”
The Opal Room refurbishment was to be fast tracked and needed to sit well within the hierarchy of the other members-only gaming rooms in SkyCity. The concept needed to then form the design guide for ongoing refurbishment through the main gaming areas.
Materiality needed consideration and respect for the heritage details, fast track available and to code.
With minimal elements in the space to work, White Forest needed to create a concept with integrity and ‘dug deep’ (literally!) to explore the physical scientific structure, colours, textures, extraction and manufacturing processes of opals.
Materialised Product
- Waterhole by Grace Garrett, custom colour printed on Crypton George Parchment.
- Trina Bianco by Patricia Braune, printed on Main Sail.
The Waterhole print by Grace Garrett was selected for feature fabric on the gaming chairs. This design emulated the structure of opals under a microscope. The carpet references the terrain of opal mining in Coober Pedy, South Australia. Research into the crystalline nature of precious gemstones led to the geometric design of the wall vinyl by Patricia Braune.
Crypton fabrics are the perfect match of luxury and bullet-proof durability needed in hospitality venues.
“Bronwyn from Materialised’s Adelaide Design Studio worked tirelessly, along with the Sydney office, producing samples to deliver design variations on colour and scale for the pattern. The bespoke colourway and manufacture met the upholstery deadline and budget, notwithstanding the onerous and numerous Covid pandemic lockdowns and associated transport supply chain issues that were successfully navigated.” – Amanda Primett, Design Director, White Forest Design.
White Forest Designs’ aim to create remarkable human spaces by balancing function, creativity, surprise and delight is most definitely met in this well considered interior design project.
The Team & Credits
Interior Design: White Forest Design – Amanda Primett, Design Director; Brittany Spaven, Senior Designer and Claire Harton, Design & Documentation
Builder: Nathanael Palmer, Structural Concepts
Photographer: Cat McKenzie, Occhio
Bespoke Carpet Design: Andrew Pawson, Signature Floors
Porta Timbers.
Dulux Paints.
Materialised: Team SA
