A globally-recognised Melbourne-based architecture and interiors studio’s leading a room refurb at Queenstown’s Sherwood Hotel.
It’ll be the first New Zealand project for Flack Studio, led by David Flack, who was awarded Creative of the Year in 2024, which has had five consecutive listings in Architectural Digest’s AD100 and a spot in Vogue Living’sf VL50 for the past six years.
Sherwood, itself a multi-award-winning property, was sold by local property investor and entrepreneur Adam Smith to Australasian property investor RF Corval at the end of 2024 — at the same time, Corval entered into a management agreement with Australian-listed entertainment and hospitality company EVT, which already manages Queenstown’s QT.
Corval’s head of hotels Maria Verner says they’ve asked Flack Studio to reimagine the 78-room hotel for the future, while staying true to its brand values and sustainability philosophy — Three Sixty Architecture and Marques will manage procurement.
‘‘Sherwood is a very special hotel with a unique character.
‘‘We wanted a design team who could honour that spirit while elevating the guest experience.
‘‘David and his team bring the creativity, sensitivity and warmth that align perfectly with the Sherwood ethos.’’
Flack says while every hotel’s unique, ‘‘that couldn’t be truer of Sherwood’’, and promises the end result ‘‘won’t feel like anything you have seen from the studio before’’.
Sherwood GM Hayley Scott says while change can be scary, ‘‘with Flack heading up the design of the Sherwood room refurbishment, we are in safe hands’’.
‘‘The soul of Sherwood is special and I feel confident that the ethos and unique touch points that we have worked so hard to cement over the past decade will be retained.’’
The refurb’s due to start soon, with upgraded rooms becoming available in phases.
