After 30 months and A$200 million investment, Hilton Sydney re-opened for business on July 15 2005. The hotel has undergone a dramatic rooftop to basement reconstruction to produce a complete re-think on hotel form and function. Combined with the initial purchase cost, the hotel is the largest single site investment made by Hilton International in the group’s history. The Hilton Sydney has reclaimed its title as the place to ‘eat, meet, sleep and play’ in the heart of Sydney for both guests and Sydneysiders alike. Architecture The architect’s brief was to create a space that didn’t exist in Australia, one that has a presence on the street and reflects Sydney as one of the most progressive cities in the world. Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW), the architects behind landmark projects such as the Sydney Opera House makeover, the Art Gallery of NSW, and Governor Phillip and Governor Macquarie Towers took on the challenge. The new-look hotel adds an abundance of space, natural light and capacity to the existing structure and was developed in sympathy with the grain, texture, scale and materials of the Town Hall and Queen Victoria Building heritage precinct. From material choice to furnishing styles, Hilton Sydney’s aesthetics will please guests with an eye for quality. Limestone lobby floors and walls create feelings of space and light; while extensive use of timber combined with plush fabrics provide a luxurious feel.