Stay, dine, and experience some of the most stunning Australian venues and landmarks, just in time for the second edition of Perth Design Week
Known for its sun-kissed sandy beaches and relaxed lifestyle, it’s easy to see why Perth is regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities, ranking 12th on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual Global Liveability Index 2023.
Although the capital of Western Australia is also infamously known as one of the most isolated cities in the world—the nearest major city Adelaide is over 2,000 kilometres away—this geographic quality has helped nurture a design scene in Perth that “embraces the local”, says Rowena Hockin, curatorial director of Bar Studio. According to the architecturally-trained Hockin, this ranges from “celebrating Western Australian craftspeople and makers to a hospitality scene dominated by the adaptive reuse of local architectural landmarks”.
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Born and raised in Perth, Hockin is currently based in Melbourne and takes charge of communications and marketing for Bar Studio, an international hospitality design firm that has realised stunning projects across the Asia-Pacific region. These include the remarkable transformations of heritage buildings for hotels such as Capella Sydney, the mountainous resort and residences of Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, as well as the renovation of stylish dining venues that include The Legacy House at Rosewood Hong Kong.
To mark the second edition of Perth Design Week, which runs from 14 to 21 March, we ask Hockin to name and recommend some of the top destinations and architectural landmarks to visit in the city.