The Brunswick

The Narrative of Place

Established in 1827 as an illicit grog shop, The Brunswick Hotel stood as one of the most enduring remnants of the bustling drinking establishments that once lined Liverpool Street in Hobart. Surviving a devastating fire in 1926, the building was a layered tapestry of Tasmanian history.

When commissioned to adapt the interior, the client’s brief was clear: the space’s heritage elements had to command the room.

The Architecture of Subtraction

Our methodology for this commercial adaptation was one of excavation. The space’s success relied not on what we introduced, but on what we boldly stripped away.

By peeling back decades of superficial renovations, we let the raw structural shell breathe. Existing brickwork was exposed, and historical building junctions were left exactly as they were found—illuminated by highly considered, theatrical lighting that cast the building’s scars in sharp relief.

Rooted in our commitment to environmental stewardship, the material palette prioritised reinvention. Timbers and structural elements salvaged from the upper-floor refurbishments were meticulously repurposed to construct the bespoke bar and bottle display, ensuring the site’s history remained physically embedded in its new iteration.

The Brunswick Hotel interior adaptation was awarded an AIA Awards Tasmania Commendation for Small Project Architecture.

Epilogue: An Archival Record

Architecture is inherently temporal. In 2021, a devastating fire completely destroyed The Brunswick Hotel, leaving behind only the street-facing facade—a layer that was itself an evolution from the building’s original sandstone footprint.

While the physical space no longer exists, this project remains a vital part of our studio’s archive. It stands as a testament to our philosophy: we design rigorous, immersive environments that honour the legacy of the past, even when those vessels are ultimately lost to time.

Project Type // Hospitality Design
Location //Hobart, Tasmania
Built // Thylacine Constructions
Photography // Dean Baird & Jonathan Wherrett

Explore more of our Commercial & Hospitality Interior Architecture capabilities [here].