By LISA ALLEN ASSOCIATE EDITOR & EDITOR, MANSION AUSTRALIA
One of the highlights of Irish-born architect Andrew O’Connell’s recent renovation of much of Hobart’s Wrest Point Casino was the installation of two swirling life-size Swarovski crystal-encrusted peacocks in the Birdcage Cocktail Bar and Lounge.
Watched over by two heritage-listed Charles Billich frescoes featuring dancing cabaret girls near the reception of Australia’s first legal casino, the bar is one of the most famous in Hobart, if not Australia.
“It’s iconic to Wrest Point – that’s why we spent so much energy revitalising that area,” says O’Connell, principal of Sydney-based firm Altis Architecture, one of the key design groups responsible for the $65m spent renovating the casino over
All up, Altis was responsible for the rejig of the casino’s waterfront boardwalk area including the installation of a new restaurant, cafe, some gaming areas, a new sports bar as well as the main casino level, the upper casino floor, and the hotel reception. Wrest Point casino’s revamp includes luxuries like the installation of two swirling life-size Swarovski-crystal encrusted peacocks in the cocktail lounge.