A major design highlight of the renovated Old Clare Hotel in Sydney is a striking illuminated glass clad oval bar created using vibrant graphic curved glass from Bent and Curved Glass (BCG).
The result of a five-year project combining a 1939 Art Deco Pub with the Victorian era 1915 CUB Headquarters in a contemporary but heritage respecting transformation designed by Tonkin Zulaika Greer Architects (TZG), the revamped bar uses amber tones to reference the history of the site, which formerly housed the Tooth & Co. Brewery. The golden colours represent KB Lager, Kent Old Brown and Reschs beer.
BCG worked closely with TZG Architects and the installation contractor, Wellfix Glass, to successfully implement the design concept. Comprehensive sampling and assessment in lightbox mock-ups preceded the selection of the glass colours. BCG also custom laminated clear curved and flat glass by encapsulating a coloured printed insert with eva interlayers. The glass was clear to the front with a diffusing white opaque to the rear of the insert.
BCG face-glazed 112 individual pieces of curved and flat glass into the recesses of the industrial style steel structure of the bar and reception counter elements on the ground floor, creating a lively retro ambience. The finished project received critical and popular acclaim and has become a key element in the success of the new ‘Kensington Street Precinct’ entertainment area just off Broadway.
