International hotel brand The Standard is working with local interior design and architectural partners Hecker Guthrie and Woods Bagot to debut its new concept – The StandardX – in Melbourne next year.

Self-described as the “rebellious younger sibling of The Standard”, The StandardX, Melbourne, will take the international lifestyle hotel made famous by Sex and the City back to its youthful roots when it opens in February 2024.

“Think of it as a classic Standard experience,” explains The Standard team, “retailored to fit rough-and-ready modern travel without sacrificing all the quirks that make The Standard so beloved.” 

Localising an international brand

Located on Rose Street in the post-industrial enclave of Fitzroy, The StandardX is rooted in a neighbourhood with a storied history of record stores, sticky-carpeted punk clubs, legendary writers’ haunts and beloved party spots. 

The hotel takes inspiration from Fitzroy’s ‘70s and ‘80s heyday, when artists like Nick Cave, Ollie Olsen, Stuart Grant and Rowland S. Howard established the Little Band scene and experimental art, music and culture flourished. 

The StandardX design

Architecture practice Woods Bagot designed the building, while Hecker Guthrie has taken on the interior design.

Made from weathering steel, the building is designed to inherit the gritty urban texture of the city-fringe suburb.

“We wanted the materiality to appear endemic to its local context and speak to the light-industrial heritage of the area,” says Woods Bagot associate and project architect Robert Rosamilia. 

Hecker Guthrie similarly drew inspiration from The Standard’s classic imprint to reflect Fitzroy’s rebellious spirit into the 125 rooms and unique public spaces.

A contemporary, uncomplicated aesthetic spans eight floors. Upon entering the lobby through a familiar bold revolving door, the ground floor opens to an airy elevated loft with a fireplace that beckons guests to linger longer.

The influence of Australian talent is present in work from artist Jane Sinclair, columns wrapped in macrame by Sarah Smalltown and paintings from Dane Lovett, which complement custom furniture and antique pieces. 

Room categories range from the intimate Cozy King to spacious Suite Spot, with the higher floors featuring views across Fitzroy and the city. 

Amid a palette of blue and white in the guest rooms, a plush bed sits focally, complemented by a millwork ledge that doubles as a writing corner and open closet. 

Minimalist rooms are complemented by “come-hither” cultural programming and unpretentious hospitality.

Perched atop the hotel is The Roof, a secret hideaway accessible exclusively to hotel guests that offers panoramic views of Fitzroy and Melbourne.

“The building is rapidly assuming a distinctly local patina that speaks to Fitzroy’s convergence of industrial heritage and contemporary artistic sensibility,” says Rosamilia.  

“It’s a building that’s entirely of its place.”

Photography supplied by The StandardX.

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