PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• 2021 Master Builders Australia – National Commercial/Industrial Construction < $5m
• 2021 Master Builders WA – Best Historic Restoration or Renovation $1.5-5m
• 2021 Master Builders WA – Best Retail Building $1.5-5m
• 2021 Master Builders WA – Construction on a Challenging Site
• Restrictive Site Access
• Live Operating Environment
• Existing Structure Works

Located adjacent to the Fremantle Markets, the three blocks of heritage-listed Warders’ Cottages were originally constructed in 1851 as accommodation for the Fremantle Prison warders and their families. While they have had many uses over their lifetime, block W1 has now been transformed into a unique, boutique hotel. The six cottages were carefully converted into eleven hotel suites, a reception space, and a small corner bar “Gimlet”. The modern redevelopment was constructed with great respect to the heritage fabrics of the structure including masonry restoration works, newly exposed and concealed services, flooring alterations, acoustic ceilings, and custom timber windows, doors and joinery.

The new restaurant and bar, Emily Taylor, constructed in the rear gardens of the Warders Cottages, displays a distinctive blend of Asian design including exposed bamboo formed concrete soffits, imported handmade clay bricks, stained burnished concrete floors, custom made steel doors and windows, precast concrete panels, a steel saw-tooth roof structure and random masonry bond. Flowing from the restaurant sits the garden bar courtyard which incorporates extensive hardscaping works and many unique features such as a new limestone wall constructed from salvaged materials on-site, hydronically heated concrete seating, imported mature trees, and steel walkway bridges. Every detail in this project was carefully considered.

The new development utilised all the available space on site and was bordered by the particularly busy Fremantle Markets and heritage-listed limestone boundary walls. Our expert delivery team navigated these site constraints carefully and delivered what is now quickly becoming a favourite destination stay in the heart of Fremantle.