Built in 1851 in the Victorian Georgian style, the Warders’ Block W1 housed Warders of Fremantle Prison and their families. This National Heritage-listed site is part of the Convict Establishment precinct, linking Fremantle Prison, the Cottages, and the Courthouse. The hotel aims to create an immersive heritage experience, ensuring patrons are aware of the building’s historic significance. Modern elements enhance the luxury of the stay without overshadowing the historic fabric. Built-in beds provide functional space while keeping walls free, electrical conduits are housed in surface-mounted copper conduits, and soft task lighting emulates candlelight. Original doors and windows are meticulously maintained to preserve the building’s character.

The restaurant and bar, named after the ship Emily Taylor, celebrates Fremantle’s rich nautical heritage. The design draws inspiration from trussed warehouses that stored goods before containerisation, with trusses following historical fence lines between cottages, further highlighted by jarrah inlays on the floor. The face bricks lining the restaurant walls are imported from China, representing the ballast ships carried, while bamboo-embossed soffits of the concrete awning mark the transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, referencing trade routes and the exchange between East and West. The restaurant serves pan-Asian cuisine, honoring the spice trade history..  

In all 11 suites have been created, 6 on the upper floor and 5 on the lower floor with custom furniture pieces by MCA - Master bed headboard, fold out bunk beds and reception desk. The remaining ground floor rooms have been used to house the hotel reception and a small aperitivo bar, the Gimlet, named after the cocktail of gin and lemon or lime created to ensure English navel officers consistently received their vitamin C ration.

The internal staircases were not code compliant so have been sealed up and a secondary vertical circulation system developed to the rear of the cottages to access the upper floor suites. The void created over the internal stairs is used as a services riser to allow for the concealed distribution of water, electrical, data and mechanical systems.

WARDERS’ HOTEL W1

Location: Fremantle, Western Australia

Builder: Buckingham Redevelopment Co

Interiors: Matthew Crawford Architects

Furniture: Mobilia

Branding: Studiofield

Photographer: Dion Robeson, Studiofield + MCA

Status: Completed 2020

Awards:

Winner of the 2021 WA Architecture Awards: Ross Chisholm and Gil Nicol Award for Commercial Architecture

Winner of the 2021 WA Architecture Awards: Award for Heritage Architecture

Winner of the 2021 WA Architecture Awards: WA Lighting Award

Winner of the 2021 State heritage Commendation: Conservation or adaptive reuse of a state registered place

A historic stone building with a metal roof, chimneys, and several small windows with red awnings, situated along a paved street with streetlights, a stone fence, and trees in the background during dusk.
A woman sitting behind a white marble reception desk with a computer and phone in a modern office lobby with wood-paneled wall, wall sconces, and a window.
Bathroom with a window, marble shower area with a step, white toilet, small white sink, and white tiled wall.
A minimalist bathroom with white walls, marble floor, wooden framed window, and built-in white tiled shelves holding folded towels. A towel hangs on a metal rod next to the shelves.
A room with a built-in light blue wooden closet that has a hanging rail and a mirror, adjacent to a bed reflected in the mirror. There is a small round table with two chairs on a circular beige rug, and a wall with copper pipes.
Close-up of a modern bed with a raised headboard, white bedding, and a black adjustable reading lamp attached to a wall with teal paneling. There are electrical outlets and a small shelf on the wall.
A hotel room with a large bed, a small round table with two chairs, a television mounted on the wall, a window with curtains, and a blue partitioned area that appears to be a closet or changing space.
A bedroom with a white bed, black wall-mounted lamp, green headboard, a painting of a woman above a white fireplace, green curtains, a window, a green armchair, a small white side table, and a dark wooden floor.
A bedroom with a white bed, green headboard, and a fireplace with a floral arrangement. A painting of a woman is above the fireplace. There's a green armchair and a white side table, with pipe accents on the wall.
A room with a blue bunk bed, a small round table with four chairs, a window, a framed picture on the wall, and hardwood flooring.
A room with a bunk bed near a window with cream-colored curtains, dark wooden floors, light blue walls, and a white plank ceiling.
A built-in kitchen area with a light blue vertical paneled wall, small sink, microwave, and a brass panel with two taps. Ventilation openings are seen on the ceiling.