Following a catastrophic fire which destroyed the heritage listed building in 2008, the local landmark and social hub for Guildford sat dormant for years before an exciting new concept for its restoration and adaptation was conceived. Restoration works commenced in 2014 and the revamped Guildford Hotel opened in 2016. It was recognised early in the restoration process that the fire which led to the building’s partial destruction was an important chapter in the history of the Hotel and offered exciting opportunities for interpretation.

element oversaw the conservation and adaptation of the building in conjunction with the lead architect Fratelle Group, ensuring new functional spaces could be incorporated, whilst preserving the conservation requirements of the significant building fabric. A suite of heritage and planning services were provided to support relevant approvals and to guide the conservation works. A key part of this was understanding the feasibility of retaining the fire damaged heritage fabric based on its significance and future function. We prepared a Conservation Management Strategy to guide this process and to inform the assessment of impact in later stages.

One hundred and fifty years after it was first built, the Guildford Hotel was re-instated as the ‘Grand Old Dame’ of Guildford. The innovative and high quality heritage conservation outcome was a finalist in the 2017 Western Australian Heritage Awards and the redevelopment has also received numerous architecture awards.

• Conservation Management Strategy
• Heritage Impact Statements
• Heritage grant applications and management
• Interpretation Plan and Strategy
• Workshop design and facilitation
• Scheme amendment and planning advice