An extensive staged redevelopment of the original 1968 Westside Hotel, Dubbo. Design brief was to create a modern venue that would stay true to the original values of the locals. The new building also had to have flexible interior spaces and make the most of the Westside Hotel’s prime location. The building has a strong visual presence on the Newell Highway to capture the attention of both the local population as well as travellers. The bars, restaurant and kitchen are completely new and the additional facilities include the lounge bar, function rooms, TAB and four outdoor areas. The old public bar has become a large store room and the bottle shop is now six times larger than before.
The function rooms can operate as one large space or two smaller rooms when needed and open out on to the lounge bar when the hotel is busy. The use of a single, central bar means that during the quieter times of day, the hotel can maintain a minimum number of staff to service the bar and restaurant areas. The gallery plays an important role in the energy management of the building by allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the hotel’s interior and by using the high-level awning windows for ventilation.
The goal was to create a modern hotel with an open plan atmosphere, with clearly defined spaces and good use of natural light. Energy efficiency, staff efficiency and a more user-friendly experience in the bottle shop were also at the top of the list of priorities.
