In Conversation with SANCTUM

Luxury today is increasingly defined by access, discretion and experience rather than materiality. How does SANCTUM interpret modern luxury, and how did that philosophy shape the club from its inception?

When we founded SANCTUM, we designed around a simple principle: how do our members actually want to experience this city? The answer was with less friction, more depth, and genuine flexibility. That shaped everything, from establishing our East Melbourne HQ as a base for both business and leisure, to building a membership that works across sport, entertainment and culture rather than siloing them.

The membership reflects this. Breakfast meetings that turn into longer conversations, premium hospitality at the Australian Open, priority bookings at coveted restaurants, artists in residence, such as David Bromley. That range matters because interesting people rarely live single-dimensional lives. The measure of success isn't exclusivity, it's whether members feel their lives are richer because SANCTUM exists.

Every SANCTUM experience feels thoughtfully considered, from sporting events to cultural moments and private gatherings. What goes into curating these experiences, and how do you ensure they feel genuinely rare rather than simply exclusive?

Every experience begins with a simple question: does this matter right now, in this city, for our members?

Curation is shaped by long-standing relationships across Melbourne's sporting, entertainment and cultural landscape. Those relationships allow access that isn't always straightforward - priority entry, proximity to key figures, or moments that sit just outside the main stage.

Not every experience needs to be reinvented to feel valuable. Sometimes it's simply securing the right seats at the right moment, or a well-timed reservation that would be impossible to arrange independently. Other times, it's creating something that doesn't exist publicly at all.

What details, seen or unseen, do you believe define the SANCTUM experience for members?

People consistently mention the same quality when they first walk into SANCTUM: the atmosphere shifts. There's an immediate sense of calm. The club feels like a retreat, which in a city like Melbourne is increasingly valuable. We worked with Cox Architecture to create a space that balances sophistication with genuine warmth.

What defines the space is how it adapts without feeling fragmented. The same room that hosts a quiet breakfast meeting at 8am feels natural for evening drinks at 6pm. That versatility comes from restraint. We've resisted over-defining what each area is 'for,' which makes the club genuinely useful. Privacy is built into how we operate. Discretion is a baseline expectation, creating an environment that feels calm and respectful.

As expectations around luxury continue to evolve, where do you see SANCTUM heading next?

We're disciplined about staying curious, paying close attention to how people spend their time and what they prioritise, in Melbourne and beyond.

Our focus is on building enduring relationships with the people shaping the city and creating a platform that gives members deeper access to Melbourne as it unfolds. That might mean residencies, collaborations, or simply being present when something compelling is happening.

Over time, this will include expansion of SANCTUM's physical footprint in ways that serve the community we're building.

LEARN MORE - https://sanctumclub.com.au/