Australian studio Techne architecture + Interior Design have attempted to improve the reputation of pubs by transforming a Victorian era Melbourne textile factory into a welcoming “living room” for city dwellers with a multi-level garden at its heart.

The four-storey Garden State Hotel, located in the Central Business District's cosmopolitan Flinders Lane, has been designed as a “warm, welcoming and intriguing” hospitality space with several restaurants and bars under one roof.

The site, which has a capacity of 840 guests, was developed by pub development company Sand Hill Road to cater for residents of Melbourne’s medium and high-density dwellings, who are increasingly choosing to entertain their friends in city pubs due to the lack of living space at home.

Techne has completely rebuilt the venue – which formerly housed an Italian restaurant – while preserving its distinctive exterior, including the sawtooth roof, which dates from 1896. The central bays in the 2,000sq m building have been opened up to form a terraced beer garden inspired by a Victorian conservatory.

Open spaces are vertically integrated across four levels, encouraging guests to explore the venue, from the street level public bar at the front of the site through to gardens, the New York-inspired Garden Grill, the Raw Bar seafood restaurant and the basement-level Rose Garden – an intimate cocktail bar with chandeliers, eclectic antique wall décor and giant rose motifs hand-painted by local artisans.

“The contemporary architecturally designed pub is a versatile space, with different rooms and areas to support varied audiences and functions. We imbued these diverse spaces with intriguing interconnections and a sense of exploration,” said Techne director Justin Northrop.

“While historically pubs were male-dominated spaces, with a more singular sports and beer culture, today they have evolved to become a sophisticated part of the hospitality sector.”

Sand Hill Road director Matt Mullins added: “In our travels, we’ve learnt that Melbourne is world-renowned for two things: its laneways and it’s incredible gardens. With the Garden State, the laneway bit was covered, but our pocket of the CBD is seriously short of gardens. We wanted to provide a lush oasis for busy city workers and residents surrounded by the concrete jungle.”