The picturesque Portsea Hotel is located on the Port Phillip Bay Coastline along the Mornington Peninsula. Established in 1876, the newly renovated Portsea Hotel is an iconic landmark in southern Victoria’s most prestigious seaside township. The $7 million transformation of the historical pub stayed sympathetic to the building’s past – retaining original tiles and artwork from the old watering hole. Diverse lighting capabilities were required for this newly renovated hotel with a variety of Unios luminaires providing a comprehensive solution.
With such a long and cherished history, the lighting solution for the restoration of the Portsea Hotel needed to respect the historic charm of the establishment in addition to modernising the new facilities. As the main tourist attraction of the small village of Portsea, the redevelopment of the Portsea Hotel was crucial to overall tourism for the township.
Although the main entrance of the hotel has remained mostly unchanged over the years, lighting technology has certainly changed dramatically over this time. In this most recent redevelopment, the lighting seeks to breathe new life into the historic walls of the building. Every original texture and surface is respected and cherished for its historical relevance to Portsea.
The lighting design called for a careful collaboration between Lights & Tracks and architect and interior designer, dubois:. With an emphasis on balancing comfortable illumination for guests, while delivering functionality and precision, each section for the hotel provided diverse capabilities. The key to this successful lighting outcome was by creating adaptable warm spaces with Dusk technology, allowing for the adjustment of colour temperatures between 2000-3000K. As one of Victoria’s largest beer gardens the design needed a sufficient amount of lighting while limiting glare for guests. Specifying luminaires in 2700K; the lighting designed by dubois: and Lights & Tracks sought to create the most inviting of atmospheres for the outdoor space. The exterior luminaires played every part in bringing the beer garden to life, as a variety of Unios products spread elegantly throughout the outdoors. Specified with coastal conditions in mind, these luminaires played a vital role not only to look aesthetically pleasing but remain durable and resilient in the harsh coastal environment along the Mornington Peninsula.
Architect and Interiors: dubois:
Project Manager: Directitude Management
Electrical Contractor: Tung Electrical Services
Builder: Baxter Projects
Developer: Colonial Leisure Group
Lighting Supplier: Lights & Tracks
Photographer: Alessandro Cerutti
