If there’s one thing that elevates a luxury hotel above the rest, it’s the granular details. At Capella Sydney (Warrane), those details are embedded in the bones of the building, brought to the fore by Make Architects who reimagined a space where history readily mingles with luxury. This is a heady harmony that has revitalised an historic pocket of the city, transforming the former Department of Education building into an exclusive luxury stay with 192 lavish guest rooms and suites, a world-class wellness centre, and three distinctive dining venues.

When Make Architects were tasked with redefining the building, they wanted to honour the design intent of the original architect, George McRae, who conceived the building in the 1900s. Lead architect Michelle Evans says the vision was to preserve as many of the heritage details and materials as possible, while creating an unmistakably modern hospitality experience, giving the building a new lease on life and a new identity.

“Despite the many changes and alterations to the building over the years, we could still see McRae’s original ethos; the circulation, the central courtyard, the way he aimed to inspire and echo the use of the building,” Evans says. “Rather than imposing a new identity, we’ve echoed that heritage.”

McRae’s design intent was reclaimed wherever possible, including reinstating the internal garden courtyard, which had eroded over the years. Hemmed by the building’s heritage-listed sandstone walls and adorned with lush foliage, a spectacular light installation overhead, the courtyard is now a tranquil food and beverage lounge called Aperture. “We took inspiration from Florentine palazzos, which feature delicate arcaded courtyards and internal garments at their centre for building occupants and visitors to enjoy,” says Michelle.

Reconceptualising an historically significant building such as this should never result in a pastiche of the old, explains Michelle. Rather, it’s about reimagining spaces for a new purpose. For Capella Sydney, this translated to a very deliberate transition between past and present to avoid jumbled design details or a replication of the existing fabric. This is an interplay that’s celebrated across the hotel, from the repurposed marble and timber flooring to the restored heritage staircase and sandstone facade. This intention came with its share of unique challenges, like how to suspend a swimming pool at the core of the hotel, with guest rooms below. This complex-to-design pool is now a feature in the hotel’s world-class wellness offering, Auriga Spa.

Every inch of this historic space allows guests to connect with the building’s past. Michelle explains that the heritage roof lanterns guided the spatial planning. “It features a stunning 20-metre pool that runs the length of the largest roof lantern, with treatment rooms – formed from a series of sculptural, interlocking bronze cubes, which float beneath the heritage ceilings – inserted underneath the smaller lanterns,” she says. “No matter where they are in the space, guests always have this wonderful connection to the heritage fabric above.”

Michelle also says art was an important part of the design narrative. Considering the site’s significance as the location of first contact between Gadigal people and members of the First Fleet, art is used to embed a sense of place, with more than 2,000 artworks featured throughout the hotel. In the entrance vestibule, for example, the original brass directory boards now feature bespoke commissioned artworks by Waanyi artist Judy Watson. Watson's creations weave the building’s colonial history with its ancestral roots of the Eora peoples, offering a First Nations' perspective on land and sea cultivation.

“Heritage buildings are so important as they give us a window into the past,” Michelle says. In keeping the redesign sympathetic to its history, Capella Sydney has created an inimitable guest experience, offering indulgence imbued with history and local culture, while at the same time, continuing the building’s narrative into the future.