Victoria Hotel | Porter Architects

Nestled in the heart of Rutherglen, Victoria, the Victoria Hotel exudes charm and character, boasting a rich heritage that dates back to the region's early days. Porter Architects’ Director Nathan Porter sits down with Architecture & Design to talk about the genesis of this project and more.

Situated on Main Street, this beloved hotel has undergone thoughtful additions and alterations, carefully blending its historic essence with modern amenities. 
 

The result is a unique and inviting destination that honors its past while catering to the needs of discerning travelers. 

With its picturesque façade and charming atmosphere, the Victoria Hotel is an iconic landmark in the region, offering guests a warm and welcoming retreat amidst the rolling vineyards and scenic landscapes of Rutherglen. 

Architecture & Design: Can you describe the initial vision for this project and how it evolved over time? 

Nathan Porter: The client and I did a site visit prior to taking over the building. It is fair to say that the hotel was a typical regional Australian pub that had many lives over its 150 year old journey. 

Some original features included air conditioning units hanging out the windows, old taxidermy, paint peeling from the walls, pool tables, dart boards, 1980’s river red gum bar top and sticky old carpet. 

Pubs are full of stories and life. The client also wanted to make sure that everybody in the community felt comfortable in this new vision. Everybody from families, couples, singles, mature generations, professionals, tradespeople, workers, sports people, etc. 

So early on, it was my job to make sure that the history/ life was celebrated and another layer was added to the story of the pub. It was also important to bring it into the 21st century. This was the starting point. 

So the vision established from the client brief was to be a welcoming destination/ community hotel with a good dining/ beverage experience where you can stay the night in a comfortable contemporary renovated old pub. 

What were the biggest challenges you faced during the design and construction phases, and how did you overcome them? 

Projects and alterations of this size always have complications and challenges. But like anything you have to persevere and be determined to get through them. One of the main challenges on this project included the council permit process. 

The hotel was in a central located heritage listed area which had to be carefully managed to reach a positive permit outcome. Lots of meetings, back and forth with the council made sure that the right outcome was achieved.

How did you ensure that the project met the client’s needs and expectations? 
 

Listen. And when you listen, you make sure you deliver. An example of this was the north facing beer garden and pavilion. This was a specific client request. I decided to use the beer garden and contemporary events/ dining pavilion to design the contemporary part of the project which was visible from the street. 

Setback from the main via the beer garden, it is a cue that tells the person passing by the old pub still has its charm but has a new life. The north facing beer garden shows activity from the main street which seamlessly transitions to the contemporary events/ dining pavilion and main hotel area.

Were there any unique or innovative techniques or materials used in this project? 

I suppose it’s a response that is a build of ideas and techniques over many years of experience. The project definitely has an identity that it is one of projects. An example of this is the beer garden setback from the contemporary pavilion. 

This is a techniques we use a lot to soften the visual interference from an intact heritage streetscape whilst still adding a contemporary building. The open beer garden at street level then becomes activated giving street presence to the area.

How does this project fit into your broader portfolio and design philosophy? 
 

We have worked a lot on old pubs. So we have a track record of experience in this area. But, I always enjoy working on these old buildings. As noted earlier, they are full of stories which I find really interesting. 

And it’s so important as an architect to acknowledge this and add to the story of the building. In terms of the design philosophy, old buildings need to treated with care, but still brought into the 21st century.

So I always look for clues in scale, material, features which I can use to help formulate the contemporary part of the project. 

This might be the use of brass. Brass has been used in many different ways over a long time. Regarding this project, we used it on the bar top. It’s a old material that is used in a contemporary way and becomes a central focus in the design.