HOUGOUMONT HOTEL

The Hougoumont Hotel came to us at concept stage with a vision to build Fremantle and Perth’s first hotel from shipping containers. The chosen location was one steeped in history. It would be located on a street whose past was filled with stories of brothels, gambling, laundries and clubs. The name was also rich with meaning as The Hougoumont was a ship with a reputation. It was the last convict ship to not only arrive in Fremantle, but in Australia. With such richness embedded in its history, it was our job to bring what the Hougoumont ‘could’ be, to life.

DESIGN
Just as the shipping container design of this hotel is a market leading concept, we wanted to create a market leading visual identity to match. This would accurately set the tone for how hotel guests would perceive and experience the Hougoumont, ultimately driving demand. With such a distinct history we saw the benefit of immersing customers directly in it by incorporating the past directly into the hotel vibe. We created a series of unique in-hotel experiences detailing the Hougoumont’s convict passengers and their personal experiences, noting just how different ‘justice’ was back in the day. Every colour, every piece of artwork had intent as we wove history into the hotel’s aesthetic. This was a statement about Fremantle. This was a hotel for the intellectually curious. This was more than a place to lay your head, it was built to be an experience.

CREATIVE
To take the Hougoumont to market we needed impressive and head turning creative to support its highly stylized visual identity. The brand story, positioning, conceptual creative and copywriting had to convey how the Hougoumont occupied a unique space in the hotel market. It was a place for guests to discover Fremantle’s history, and a place where the lonely traveller would feel welcome.