Flying the flag: City finds room for culture

Melbourne – Travel guide Lost & Found has created a hotel room in Melbourne that lets visitors experience the city’s culture as well as read about it.

The Lost & Found Hotel Room, designed by local architects firm Six Degrees, is a physical interpretation of the company’s printed tourist guide, which artist Jonathan Zawada has curated this year. The publication’s masthead has been transformed into a hand-sewn flag, and its graphic icons have been incorporated into a floor rug.

Other items in the room help to reflect local creative businesses. Rugs have been sourced from Australian designer label ffiXXed, pottery from local craftsperson Shelley Panton, and bikes from vintage bike hire store The Humble Vintage Hire Co. Should guests feel peckish, food is served by Captains of Industry, an innovative leisure space downstairs that combines tailor, café and bar.

‘The idea of the Lost & Found Hotel Room is to tell the story of Melbourne,’ says Chris Barton, cultural director of Right Angle Studio, which facilitated the project. ‘This year’s room has evolved to become a stand-alone space, rather than one room in a pre-existing hotel.’

The project is a great example of how travellers can be immersed in local culture even inside their hotel room. Read more about Right Angle Studio and Captains of Industry in our Innovate section.