Facilities Testimonials
Brintons (carpet manufacturers to Woodlands Golf Club)
CASE STUDY
Woodlands Golf Club, Victoria, Australia
Woodlands Golf Club is an exclusive, members-only club; a hidden gem for the golfing enthusiast, nestled in Melbourne’s Sandbelt. In 2009 Stephen Akehurst & Associates were invited, by project management company the Johnson Group, to work with Woodlands Golf Club on the interior design of the club’s latest major refurbishment and expansion project. Since the completion of its refurbishment in May 2010 the club has become a popular function venue for weddings, birthdays and corporate functions as well as being a highly regarded course by golfing purists.
Client Brief
The designers at Stephen Akehurst & Associates wanted to bring the clubhouse interior up to date with a timeless sophistication, ensuring that the atmosphere maintained its intimacy, warmth and personality which the club is renowned for. It was important for the clubhouse to work cohesively, coupling the old with the new, seamlessly bringing the different ages of the building together, whilst continuing to take advantage of the magnificent views of the course. Brintons design capability and proven record working with Stephen Akehurst on other high end residential projects secured Brintons place as the preferred partner for the carpets at Woodlands.
Creative design approach
The designers at Stephen Akehurst & Associates were inspired by old photographs of the golf course and clubhouse. This immediately translated into a crisp black and white colour theme, historically-inspired but with a sleek contemporary edge. The views from the clubhouse reinforced the use of a monochromatic scheme for the flooring; creating the perfect backdrop to the fabrics and furnishings used elsewhere in the interior which pick out the grey-green tones from the old gum trees on the course.
The design selection was shaped and inspired by Brintons extensive range of stock designs. Three contrasting design elements were selected, a tartan (traditionally seen in golf clubs around the world), a large scale elegant swirl and a serviceable plain which fused the two elements together.
The solution that was delivered
The striking black and white theme delivered the timeless-contemporary look that Stephen Akehurst was hoping to achieve. The black-grey-cream plaid was a contemporary twist on a traditional golf club-tartan design. The elegant, layered swirl pattern, also gleaned inspiration from a Brintons stock design, made for a complementing yet sophisticated contrast to the geometric plaid and was suited to its use in the dining / function areas. The two discrete patterns were brought together cleverly by a third simple textured plain.
Developed primarily with serviceability in mind, the twotone texture was used to bridge different areas of the clubhouse and tied the interior scheme together. The texture was also used frame the plaid and pattern to create the impression of inset rugs, which were used to draw the eye to seating areas within the Members lounge.
Services provided by Brintons
Brintons delivered a full design service to the client for the refurbishment of Woodlands Golf Club. This included the use of Brintons extensive archive and design resource, colour prints, full-scale plots and samples. Brintons worked in conjunction with Coveney Interlay, installation partners, and the project management company Johnson Group to bring the project to fruition.
Brintons Reaction
Brintons’ Account manager for the project said: “What a stunning looking clubhouse. It’s sophisticated, elegant and timeless. Whilst it pays homage to its traditional heritage, it definitely has the wow factor. Our portfolio of stock and archive designs has again proven to be a brilliant source of inspiration to our clients demonstrating the flexibility and breadth of our capability.”
Client Reactions
“Working with Brintons is always a pleasure. It’s inspiring. Their huge wealth of knowledge and the breadth of their design archive resource make an architect’s life easier and it definitely adds an extra dimension to the design process. With Woodlands we have achieved the desired result by taking the essence of what the club is all about, the history, atmosphere and feel of the club and by giving the interior a traditional yet contemporary edge. In delivering this timeless, sophisticated interior we have given the club another 50 years which is exactly what we set out to achieve for the members.”
Stephen Akehurst, Director of Stephen Akehurst & Associates
“The members wanted the refurbishment to complement the quality of the golf course whilst preserving the heritage and feel of the building. The consensus is that we have achieved this. We have a clubhouse that is ‘classically elegant’ and sees the old and new come together. The carpeting has been a major factor in the renovation and we have received wonderful responses to it. Our members are very proud of their clubhouse and the testament to its success is the increased patronage and enquiries for corporate and private functions.”
John Stamp, General Manager of Woodlands Golf Club
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