might open there has been a conversation topic over vodka martinis for years. In Melbourne, an application by Soho House to open in a South Yarra mansion was rejected in August after local objections.
If Mello House is seen as a sophisticated retreat for its members, among them corporate heavy hitters and cultural leaders, then Lawson Flats will be “the naughty cousin”, says Adrian. The clientele is expected to skew younger, with irreverence at its heart and community as its focus.“We’ve got a bit of an issue in Perth regarding brain drain and people leaving,” says Alessio. “It’s one of the biggest deficits we’ve got to the liveability of our city.
Between meetings they might like to pop into Luis’ for coffee and a light lunch, or conspire with collaborators over dinner later in the day, enjoying what Alessio describes as a “soulful, simple type of cooking”, courtesy of Paul Bentley. The recently returned expat owns Casa in Perth and, during his 20 years abroad, worked under Daniel Boulud at Daniel in New York and opened a string of restaurants in Mexico.
Of all his projects, it’s the State Buildings that have had perhaps the biggest impact on the city’s revitalisation. The former government buildings were built in 1874 and variously housed the state’s treasury, police court and post office.