OVOLO WOOLLOOMOOLOO

Ovolo Hotels are a global hospitality company providing guests with unique lifestyle hotels. Each of their properties features contemporary high-end interiors and integrates the very latest technology and amenities to appeal to the modern traveller. Expanding their unique offer within Australia, they recently opened Ovolo Woolloomooloo, a character-packed hotel situated inside Finger Wharf, a huge heritage-listed timber export shed on the side of Sydney’s iconic harbor. The original cavernous warehouse space was redesigned to feature multiple intimate and cozy spaces to engage visitors on a more personal level. The wayfinding brief for the new space was to create a series of unique signage and placemaking features for different zones such as the central bar, bakery, communal dining space, pool room, library and varied function spaces, bringing the hotel’s unique brand to life whilst providing a series of landmarks that could aid navigation. Rather than adopt traditional signage, the approach here was inspired by Ovolo’s spirited and playful brand to create a series of distinctly modern touchpoints that help better define the different spaces. As well as naming the sub-brands and creating identities for each offering, a series of illuminated placemaking installations were designed to provide a counterpoint to the hotel’s heritage wharf setting. The installations utilized irreverent tone-of-voice copy to evoke a wry smile from visitors, and were designed to facilitate social media engagement for today’s smartphone wielding generation of modern-day travelers. Signage was further extended into amenities and operational spaces, applying the same sense of fun and quirk into otherwise forgotten locations. Within months of opening, the remastered hotel has been a great success, recently awarded as the number two hotel in Australia. The placemaking work has also been featured widely across social media, with the installations providing perfect insta-ready fodder for a young, tech-savvy clientele.

Design Team

Paul Taboure (EGD), Charlie Bromley (Design Lead), Danielle Senecky (Project Management), Jon Zhu (Designer), Justine Lesmana (Designer), Gemma Hall (Designer)

Consultants

Hassell Sydney (Interior Design)

Fabricators

Wizardry