Ovolo The Valley | Woods Bagot

Ovolo the Valley is a design-led lifestyle hotel located in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Inspired by the vibrancy of its surroundings and in celebration of the Ovolo brand’s playful spirit, the rebranding / refurbishment is conceptualised as a series of unique and tangible guest experiences through imaginative and wondrous interior environments.
The design brief called for a hotel with a unique personality and style, inspired by local surroundings, local culture and the Ovolo brand. Relatively young and agile, Ovolo is largely devoid of traditional ‘design brand standards’, which provided an inspiring opportunity for the design team to conceptualise a truly unique design narrative.
Inspired by Fortitude Valley’s curious dualities, the design presents a layered journey both physical and abstract, beckoning the guest to transition from the urban realm through a series of intimate spaces within. The execution is part ‘Alice in Wonderland’, in the interpretation of the local urban and natural landscapes and Brisbane’s outdoor lifestyle.
The design strikes a balance between style and functionality to create an expressive dialogue between the interior, art and the guest. The highly visual and tactile interior quality is enhanced with smart technology including curated music playlists and interactive devices to provide a multi-sensory guest experience. The hotel re positioning and interior refurbishment included 101 typical guestrooms and suites, two ‘Rock-star’ suites (Ovolo’s signature), Lobby & Reception, Corridors, Lift lobbies, Boardroom and a Rooftop pool. The hotel was designed, delivered and operating under the new brand within eight months.
Constrained by limited budget and timeframe, the design exploits readily accessible and cost-effective materiality, coupled with essential detailing to deliver a highly bespoke and customised vision. The custom joinery across 13 room typologies was based on adaptable modular designs for replication and detailed for its constructability.
The highly visual and tactile interior quality is celebrated by unique textural pairings and experimental applications. Bold and playful, they are a study of solid and transparent elements, soft and hard to touch, matt and reflective finishes, texture and scale. The result is a strong and cohesive design language, and a demonstration of the project’s commitment to its concept narrative.
An integrated approach to art and creative collaborations supports contemporary design. Original and commissioned pieces by local artists are featured throughout the guestrooms, lobby and communal spaces to enrichen the guest experience through engaging interactions within the space.
The design celebrates the individual. The project seeks to innovate and advance the hotel experience through design driven guest journeys delivered through a holistic and unique interior design story enriched by a collaborative artist approach. The hotel provides the a whimsical ‘installation’ where the guests radiate at the centre of a fantastical art story.

Location: Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia
Client: Ovolo Group
Woods Bagot scope: Interior Design
Status: Hotel refurbishment completed November 2018
No of rooms: 103 including two penthouse “rock star” suites – a signature of an Ovolo hotel, where guests “have it all, and then some”. Ovolo The Valley’s star icon is David Bowie
Woods Bagot design team: Eva Sue, Ekin Komurcu, Taylor Sambal (all Perth) and Bronwyn McColl (Brisbane)

Refurbishment scope:
103 Total keys
- 101Typical rooms and suites
- 2 Signature suites
Hotel lobby
Conference facilities and boardroom
Rooftop pool
Artistic Collaborators:
Bespoke wallpaper (guestrooms) - Liz Casella Studio
Lobby art and sculptures - client’s private collection, curated by Kathleen Wilson