Generally known as the more polished and sophisticated of Australia’s two leading cities, the very same attributions also cast a shadow on Melbourne for those in search of an edgy and vibrant urban culture. Well, that was yesterday. The StandardX, the newest concept of The Standard hotel group, initially founded by legendary hotelier André Balazs, has opened its doors in the Victorian capital to set the record straight. Occupying a new, corten steel-clad structure by Australian architecture practice Woods Bagot in the city’s sought-after Fitzroy district, The StandardX features an interior design by local design practice Hecker Guthrie which takes cues from urban subcultures of the 1980s and 1990s, and as such, it has engaged with a number of talented local creatives.
The StandardX features 125 guest rooms in no less than seven different sizes and categories, from the compact 21 sqm. (226 sq.ft.) Cozy King room, to the more than twice as large Suite Spot for those who love to live large. Mind you, the latter comes with a signature king bed, an ensuite bathroom, and more. Needless to say, each room meets all the requirements of today’s discerning traveller, captured by clean contemporary design which blends in elements of the neighbourhood’s gritty urban fabric. As said, The StandardX aims to connect with local culture, and for the interior design, Hecker Guthrie has collaborated with a number of local designers, such as Charles Sandford who crafted over-scaled, timber furniture pieces for the hotel lobby space, paired with pieces by designers Jordan Fleming, Dean Norton, Adam Goodrum and Volker Haug.
Obviously, the hotel comes with on-site venues which effortlessly facilitate the aforementioned interaction with the neighbourhood, albeit in a culinary way. First, there’s BANG, an all-day Thai restaurant on the ground floor, helmed by helmed by executive chef Justin Dingle-Garciyya, and which serves Thai street food-inspired dishes in a stylish contemporary setting. Also to be found on the ground floor is The Box, a neighbourhood-style bodega offering a curated mix of daily essentials, wellness items, fashionable goods and delicious snacks and drinks. Last but not least, there’s The Roof, which, as its name already implies, is a rooftop getaway (read: bar) inspired by the flavours of Mexico. And yes, the sweeping views of the surrounding area are a huge bonus. © superfuture.com
The StandardX
62 Rose Street (Fitzroy)
Melbourne, VIC 3065
Telephone +61 3 91244800
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