Fremantle | 490 sqm

Owston Hotel is the adaptive reuse of a heritage building in the heart of Fremantle’s West End, reimagined as a contemporary locanda – an intimate, small-scale guesthouse with rooms above a restaurant. Inspired by the hospitality traditions brought to the area by European migrants in the 1950’s, the project celebrates the building’s layered cultural and architectural history.

Originally a gold-rush era Federation shop house, the building later evolved through the influence of Italian immigrants who introduced elements such as terrazzo flooring and decorative steelwork. But rather than restoring a single historical moment, the design celebrate’s the building’s Federation bones and its mid-century European migrant character in a considered, contemporary manner.

Warm tones, textured finishes and locally made elements create an atmosphere that feels calm, domestic and quietly nostalgic. The result is intentionally more personal than a traditional hotel – closer to a guesthouse in scale and personality.

By giving new life to a historic building while celebrating Fremantle’s migrant heritage, Owston Hotel offers a boutique accommodation experience that contributes to the ongoing vibrancy of Fremantle’s iconic West End.

Photography | Jack Lovel

Styling | Amy Collins-Walker