Village Belle, the St Kilda landmark now sporting a radically different look

It’s a challenge that residential and commercial architects alike know all too well: How to showcase your unique flair, and the best of contemporary trends, without eliminating the heritage elements of a home or building?

When it comes to a beloved local landmark, too, how can you make sure the finished product gets the tick of approval from the community?

It’s an artful balancing act, but one that Techne Architecture + Interior Design have pulled off brilliantly in their revamp of The Village Belle Hotel in St Kilda, a venue that has never fitted its title more.

Originally built in 1891, the facade of the building looks relatively unchanged at first glance. Walk a little further down the street, however, and you’ll spot a striking extension decked out in glass. It’s a dramatic contrast that shows how old and new architecture can, in fact, live in harmony.

The atrium-like structure houses a plant-filled beer garden with a custom-designed roof, which can be opened to draw in more natural light, or closed to fend off rain or cold weather.

Vibrant colours are used throughout the interiors – olive green, bright pink, bronze and deep red – to capture your attention. There’s a wow-factor in the way they pop against exposed brick, mesh metal and marble.

You can spot a few conventional elements if you pay close attention, says Technē director Justin Northrop, although even those have been given a slight twist.

“The bar is a mix of dark timbers, bluestone tiles, the kind of touch points people associate with traditional pubs, but actually its design is more of a contemporary take on those things,” he says.

The Village Belle also includes 12 boutique apartments, a mixture of one-bedders and two-bedders that pack as much personality as the building’s hospitality space.

Again, Techne have used a range of materials and finishes to make the aesthetic engaging and rich. Terrazzo floors and custom-designed timber joinery are highlights, but it’s the extensive sound-proofing that really deserves praise, given the wall that the apartments share with the hotel.

Techne have been bold in their approach to this iconic building, and ultimately, their flair is hard to fault.

If you’re headed past Barkly Street or Acland Street, we recommend popping in, if only for a glass of bubbles and maybe some grilled polenta to share.