Scott Carver design chosen for InterContinental Parramatta hotel

Design for Parramatta’s newest luxury hotel and a trendy dining precinct on the Peter Wynn site have been revealed, and it promises to transform the CBD into a high-end shopping and dining precinct.

The winning design for the five-star InterContinental hotel at Parramatta have been revealed as the newest showpiece for the CBD, where a trendy dining precinct is also planned.

Developers Holdmark announced architect firm Scott Carver’s submission as the winning design for the luxury hotel at 197 Church St, which will transform into a new commercial and retail precinct with “new civic places, laneways and activation of some previously forgotten heritage icons”.

There will be 200 rooms in a 32-storey hotel, which will feature a rooftop bar, swimming pool and gym, and a 23-level commercial tower.

The architect firm, Scott Carver, has delivered iconic and world class designs across Australia including The Australian War Memorial, Sydney Opera House and major commissions across the hotel, commercial and residential sectors.

Artist’s impressions for the InterContinental Hotel at Parramatta.

The hotel and commercial tower sits atop Murray Bros building.

The hotel, to open in 2025, will house several high-end restaurants and entertainment venues while the commercial tower will add more than 30,000sq m of office space and is expected to inject more than $1 billion into the local economy and create 1376 direct and indirect long-term jobs, another 1000 construction jobs.

Holdmark Property Group said the building at the corner of Macquarie and Church streets would become an iconic high-rise for the Parramatta skyline.

Holdmark’s chief operating officer, Kevin Nassif, said Scott Carver had combined Parramatta’s historical elements of the original Murrays Bros department store with the modern landscape.

“They have done a fantastic job at balancing the historical elements of the original building with two sophisticated and modern towers that will add to the future Parramatta skyline, and we look forward to bringing their design to life,” Mr Nassif said.

Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said the project showed Parramatta has arrived as a modern metropolis.

The hotel is to open in 2025.

“This development will be the linchpin of a reinvigorated Church St that will be a destination of choice for locals and visitors alike to eat, shop and socialise,’’ he said.

Murray Bros was originally built in 1926, at the junction of Parramatta’s most bustling streets – Marsden, Church and Macquarie streets.

Scott Carver was chosen over two other major Australian architectural firms, by a panel of experts led by former National President of the Australian Institute of Architects, Bob Nation.

Scott Carver has also delivered projects including The Australian War Memorial redevelopment and recent Sydney Opera House projects.

Artist impressions for the InterContinental Hotel at Parramatta at 197 Church St.

Scott Carver design director Nicholas Bandounas said the hotel design was influenced by the community, its natural landforms and the local history.

“The colonial Murray Bros and Post Office buildings inform the appropriated arch motif, while the through site link called Ngara Nura Way – meaning listen to Country, learn from Country and to share knowledge – speaks to the stories of local indigenous history,’’ he said.

Swanky restaurants and shops are planned for the hotel precinct.

The hotel on the corner of Marsden and Macquarie Street, which will open in 2025, will be home to a range of high-end restaurants and entertainment venues, while the commercial tower will add more than 30,000 sqm of new office space to the growing CBD. The project will inject more than $1 billion into the local economy.

However, it will mean the end of a Parramatta institution — Peter Wynn Score, which has operated at Church St since 1988.

Holdmark has received interest in the new commercial office space, and will be actively recruiting an anchor tenant this year.

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