Custom concrete water pipes create dynamic facade and cosy booths at Melbourne pub
If you’re a Melbourne resident you’ll almost certainly have heard of the new addition to the Prahran Hotel. A two-storey extension to this boutique hotel with a central leafy courtyard, the defining aspect to this recently-opened pub is a series of concrete water pipes which arc across the façade, echoing the Art Deco motifs found in the original hotel building. Designed by local studio Techne Architects, the form incorporates 17.5 water pipes ranging in weight from 2.5 to 7.4 tonnes each. Working with Parkhill Freeman, NSP Geotechnics Pty Ltd and BRT Consulting Engineers, the architects designed a dynamic and characterful façade for this new watering hole that feeds into the interior space, forming a series of cosy seating booths and entertainment spaces. It took 9 riggers 11 days to install the 17.5 custom-made pipes as you can see from this short video. Th

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