Haron Robson at Mounties

Located in Sydney's south west, five minutes from Liverpool, 'Mounties' is one of the largest clubs in Australia. Their brand is "we're all about making it memorable for you" and the approach Haron Robson took in the re-lighting of the bar and gaming areas is certainly that; with back-lit marblo bars, luxurious feature lighting and generous light wall-washing, the first impression will definitely wow first-time visitors and regulars alike.

The brief was to re-invent the club, to change the image to one of sophisticated glamour, but not so much as to alienate long-time members. Striking the right balance was a challenge, and the interior and lighting design teams used both emerging technologies and tried-and-tested methods to create a space which has a touch of luxury but retains the welcoming ambience a community club needs.

The use of familiar finishes and natural textures sets the tone of warmth and comfort, with amber-coloured marblo and limestone wall panels in transitional areas to invite patrons in. The destination areas are more luxurious, with feature lights in glass and metal, ice-like panelling and LED lighting setting the tone for cool sophistication – these features create a focal point in the club and allow the peripheral areas to be more low-key.

The bar adjacent to the main gaming lounge makes generous use of amber-coloured marblo – a robust material to survive the rigours of a busy meeting-place. Internally lit, the bar and wall panels take on a life of their own once the sun sets, and the warm glow emanating from the service area creates a serene balance against the gaming area's vibrancy. The feature bar and wall panels give off enough ambient light to ensure there is only minimal need for practical lighting, with halogen downlights directly above the bar being the only task lighting required.

The lozenge-shaped Bar 11 on the upper level is entirely different, with cool tones and transparent materials creating a light and ethereal setting for the lounge and cocktail area. The light feature suspended above the bar is a custom arrangement of standard individual light fittings: The Fireflies luminaire is from Yellow Goat's range, but a chandelier effect was created by the lighting designer using a bespoke cluster installation. The clear acrylic 'wings' with edges that glow in the dark seemingly float above the bar, which appears to be moulded from pure ice. In fact, the feature glass panels with ice texture are given an iceberg glow utilising white LED-strips located under the moulding, downlighting the vertical ridges to realistic effect.

Haron Robson