Over a period of 15 years, Tzannes transformed an inner-city precinct bounded by Queen, Moncur and Smith Streets in Sydney’s Woollahra into a cohesive hospitality destination. This precinct includes a rare example of enduring hospitality design, the 1937 Art Deco Woollahra Hotel. It encompasses the much-loved Bistro Moncur and an adjacent commercial building housing the Moncur Cellars bottle shop.
The three buildings combine to create an exceptional, village-scale environment, sensitive to its location within the Woollahra Conservation Zone and a predominantly residential neighbourhood. This popular precinct offers a finely tuned blend of social, dining, and commercial uses, contributing to the transformation of this local area into a vibrant destination.
The ground level of the Woollahra Hotel has undergone sympathetic changes, and the upper level incorporates service spaces, plant, and an al fresco bar and casual dining area, serviced by a new commercial kitchen. In an industry where interiors are frequently rebuilt, Bistro Moncur and the commercial spaces largely remain as originally designed by Tzannes in 1997.
The iconic Bistro Moncur was initially designed to provide a dining environment that was distinctive, ‘better than home’ and detailed to reflect the price point, style of service and type of food. The design utilises solid recycled timbers, stainless steel, and mirrors, which are sometimes treated to be non-reflective, enhancing the spatial experience. An instantly recognisable, large 15-metre-long black-and-white mural by illustrator Michael Fitzjames, featuring cartoon-like figures, completes the interior architecture. The dining room is integral to the identity of the bistro and its commercial success.
The adjoining three-storey commercial and retail structure features a ground and lower ground-level bottle shop with interiors similar in material choice to those of the Bistro Moncur. Materials such as zinc, fine steel and curved concrete are carefully detailed to respond to the historic fabric of the area while expressing a contemporary character.
