Catherine Bakker

Inserted into the upper floors of the Royal Sovereign Hotel, this 1st floor courtyard and bar is a garden oasis within the dense inner city suburb of Darlinghurst Sydney. The space was designed to complement the strong 1960s decor of the much loved ground floor ‘Darlo’ Bar. Cut two storeys into the existing building, the courtyard space is hidden from the outside, using the deep set location to attenuate sounds. Perforated aluminium panels line the courtyard walls in colours which suggest a garden in the late afternoon sun. A collection of quirky,  1960s garden furniture, in white, splashed with bright fabrics brings the backyard into the city. The internal bar space mixes timber screens, orange tones and unusual  bird shaped pendant lights to link the courtyard with the living room quality of the ground floor bar.