The Emerson is a multifunctional, flexible entertainment venue mixing music, food & beverage spanning three levels. One of the main overall design objectives was to generally open up the view corridors. This would create more spatial transparency within the venue and simplify the room organization from what was previously a very claustrophobic, maze-like nightclub with very limited view corridors.

The ability to see different areas of the club encourages exploration by the guests and creates moments of interest throughout. Each level has a front and back room or area and the ability to accommodate a different crowd or activity. By deploying sliding screens and doors and curtains the front and back areas can be separated or can be opened and connected, to make a more continuous experience.

The Emerson offers a multitude of settings and ways for guests to explore, interact and to spectate. The design is meant to facilitate those serendipitous moments between guests, the ones that draw us to social gatherings in the first place.

The Entrance is into a large double height open lobby, a public room like in a hotel. The rough stone slab flooring and oak wood raised ceiling allows the historical character of the heritage façade to come inside with a bit of grandeur by way of a grand staircase, wood wall paneling and ‘bubble’ chandeliers.

The Bar Room utilises light colored marble mosaic floor (bronze metal bar face cladding, light stone with grey veining bar top, floating beveled mirror panels at back bar with textured bronze metal backdrop. Wood panel and metal mesh screen on blackened steel supports for the restroom screen. The restroom exterior is clad in beveled mirror tile so that people’s silhouettes are reflected in to the Bar Room through the privacy screen. Stools are raw wood with blackened metal base. Banquettes are wood sides and back with green upholstery with brown accents, muted, urbane colors. Tables are stone slab to match bar top. ‘Tentacle’ or ‘tree branch’ or ‘amoeba’ shaped communal table is made of very thin aluminum plate with rail thin blackened steel leg system.

The Club has end grain wood flooring at dance floor, stone plinth and DJ booth with bronze grill facing. The wall paneling is a custom continuous striated wood plank/batten system with gold leaf accents, These skinny gold accents create an optical illusion, appearing like rear illuminated slits which project light. The vertical striations of the paneling tie the Club together and help deemphasize the low ceilings and horizontal proportion to this room. The raised perimeter seating is critical to creating energy and can be danced on. The palette is focused on deep reds, red/browns and bright mahogany excitable
colours.

Level One is the VIP level, the first class berth of the ship. The Lounge is the front of the room and is private, intimate and luxurious. It can be closed off from the rear by deploying the sliding doors for a private function. A room-sized translucent coffer lighting system on the ceiling evenly illuminates the room like a series of large lamp shades
gathered in formation and disguises the diagonal roof trusses that run through the space.

The palette is of warm colors: Ivory, brown, rust, ochre with an emphasis on rich and luxurious materials. An antique cerused (limed) oak wood floor in linear parquet pattern is complemented by brightly colored semi-gloss red/orange leather tufted wall panels and bar face, grey stone with white veining, mirror finish metals, glass and wood.

Club chairs and sofas are upholstered in semi-gloss tufted leather with polished stainless steel legs. Tables are grey stone with white veining with polished stainless steel bases.

The Lounge has its own dedicated bar and restrooms. The bar’s back wall is a light fixture and meant for minimal display of top shelf liquor only. With daylight and views down to the Lobby and street, this room can be used for daytime events. The Lounge overlooks the VIP areas in the rear.

VIP Area - one can either descend a few steps down from the Lounge or enter through the private entrance from the rear of the venue into a perimeter of ‘opera booths overlooking the dance floor. A critical design objective for this area was to enlarge the size, and change the shape and orientation of the previous floor opening to allow greater visual communication between the ground and level 1 floors.

The glass rail allows for the greatest transparency between the two floor. The VIP area is in the action but with enough privacy to have a small private party. It’s dark and cozy with low-slung banquettes that have been built for climbing, reclining and dancing. The VIP Bottle Service operates from behind a series of screens that have their own entrance into each booth.

Large, opaque, tapered rectangular light coffers within which are placed the club and intelligent lighting as well as house lighting. This is to conceal the glare form the club lighting from the VIP guests due to the low ceiling height and viewing angles. It’s not unlike a crystal chandelier for a touch of humor and grandiosity. This creates one home for both the club lighting and house lighting.

The palette is focused on deep purples, dark magentas with pink and orange accents - saturated yet dark colors that are luscious. Flooring is soft vinyl sisal. Walls and furniture are completely upholstered to absorb sound but also envelop the guest in softness. An upholstered wall paneling extends the motif of the striations from the wall paneling at the Club level below but here they are wider panels in alternating width and depth to create a soft 3d non-planar surface. Vertical
striations help to unify the room but also break down the sheer size of the wall. The vertical lines also help to counteract the horizontal proportion of this room (at Club level too) and perceptually create an illusion of greater height.

Level Two houses the outdoor deck and is in some ways the most coveted spot at The Emerson mixing spectacular urban vistas of Melbourne with fresh air like an outdoor living room – a rare find in any city. It can be reached by stairs or by a lift on the ground floor.

The bar has a built-in barbeque grill for roof top specialties. To keep the deck operational even during inclement weather there is U-shaped trellis roof structure. Parts are glass covered and the western portion is covered with retractable fabric awnings. Moments of interest are created by the use of Ipe wood decking, white steel supports system and glass infill around the perimeter. Glazed brick tile cover the lift exterior and fireplace complemented by a light stone bar top with
mirror gold penny tile mosaic bar face.

The Grille Room is a bistro that opens directly to the deck. The open lofty feel with skylight creates the feeling of an inside living room that complements the outside. The northwestern corner is raised to better access the views to central Melbourne to the NW.

The palette is turquoise, sky blues and golds with rich rosewood accents reflecting the warm yellow of the sun, turquoise sea, the blue of the sky, and is slightly art deco in feel. Flooring is glossy white penny tile with gold mirror accents that form irregular polygonal shapes (think large slabs of interlocking paving stone. The intent is to make a highly reflective floor to bounce light day and night.

A sinuous full height rosewood wall with gold back bar display boxes is offset with the various size wood basket-like lanterns suspended from the ceiling for general lighting effect, creating festive atmosphere. The bar has a light stone top with a face covered with the same gold mirror penny tile mosaic used as a floor accent. The ceiling is a painted white wood louver system mixture of three patterns.

Lighting
South West Solutions were contracted to design and supply a lighting & video package to principally cater to the dance floor & to add movement an element to involve the VIP level in what was happening below. They were delighted to get some of the first Martin RUSH available from Australian distributor Show Technology including six MH2 Wash, four MH1 Profile, and four MH3 Beams.

Unfortunately, as is the case with many venues, lighting was a bit of an afterthought and the necessary cabling and rigging had not been thought of and could not be installed by SWS as it had already been sealed. Fortunately a feature of the large opening between the ground floor club and the first floor cocktail bar was the perfect location to mount a curved HD LED screen and it was decided to incorporate the rigging of the light fixtures from behind the screen to keep them hidden.

“We had to come up with a way to rig the lighting and so we had custom-made brackets manufactured for the LED screen which could double as rigging brackets for the lighting,” explained Matt Downs, managing director of SWS. “Initially we had planned to put only the MH2 Washes behind the LED screen and the MH1’s and MH3’s hung from the roof so we could get more beam effects but without the necessary infrastructure, it just was not possible.”

Because of where they had to be hung from, the size and weight of the lighting fixture was very important. Being both lightweight and compact as well as cost-effective, the Martin RUSH products were ideal.

“They may be small in size but the output from all three fixtures is big,” said Matt. “The MH1 Profile is very bright and provides some great effects, the MH2 Wash is fast and the MH3 Beam punches out some great narrow beams for spectacular mid-air looks and effects. Plus the colours on all of them are amazing.”

For control Martin M-PC V3 controller software with a touch screen is used as well as a M2PC control surface for live control. Matt has configured the controller so that the lighting is time-triggered so all the DJ has to do is tap the BPM to deliver a great light show.

“We had access to only one Cat5 cable in the DJ console we decided to go with Ether2DMX8 so we could get remote DMX and Artnet,” added Matt. “For atmospherics we chose a JEM 365 Hazer so we would have fine enough particles not to set off the smoke system. We’ve ducted it into the air conditioning system to get even coverage throughout the entire venue.”

In certain Australian states it is now illegal to isolate a smoke system and so it makes sense to use a CO2 hazer with its small particle sizes that, when set up correctly, do not set off smoke sensors.

Audio
The venue is fitted out with Dynacord, Electro-Voice and Boschaudio equipment throughout its dance club, cocktail lounge, rooftop bar-restaurant, and restrooms.

The ground floor encompasses a signature bar and dance floor, creating a nightclub vibe amongst the thumping Dynacord Variline full-range loudspeakers and subs, driven by Dynacord PowerH amplifiers.

The above level features an intimate lounge area including VIP booths, paired with a cocktail bar and bird’s eye view of the DJ booth and dance floor below. Electro-Voice and Dynacord loudspeakers unite throughout the second level, providing a strong musical presence amongst the party-goers.

As the Emerson is situated in the heart of Melbourne, the rooftop is encircled by sweeping panoramic views of the inner city surrounds. Bosch and Electro-Voice speakers provide the acoustics for the cabana-style sun lounges, dining area, and bars on the rooftop.

Melbourne’s Light Dimensions were selected for providing the sound solution. The trio of brands: Dynacord, Electro-Voice and Bosch have provided the perfect acoustic treatment for each application at the tri-level super venue. High-quality, intelligibility and punchy, yet smooth and even sound pressure levels have been achieved throughout the venue. The results of the installation are pleasing to all concerned. All good things do come in threes!