Are Hospitality Houses Brisbane’s biggest Olympic opportunity?
It started with a beer.
In 1992, Heineken created a gathering space in Barcelona where Dutch athletes could meet their families — marking the quiet debut of what would become one of the Olympic Games’ most powerful platforms: the Hospitality House.
Since then, these venues have evolved into global branding showcases. At Paris 2024, nearly 30 countries launched Olympic houses — immersive spaces blending sport, culture, commerce, and connection. Some were open to the public. Others, like USA House, charged more than AUD $500 per day for all-inclusive access. Most were full to capacity.
These are no longer sideshows. They’re stages where countries tell stories, project influence, and create moments that endure long after the medal count fades.
With the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, now is the time to ask: what could Hospitality Houses look like here, in our own backyard?
From pop-up to purpose
In Brisbane, Hospitality Houses have the potential to do more than showcase the Games. They can animate the city, connect dispersed venues, and invite both locals and visitors to explore areas they might otherwise overlook. Think of them not as temporary installations, but as waypoints — part of a larger, curated journey through the city.
Some might be quick stops: places to pause, sip, and keep moving. Others could become full-day destinations, grounded in story and landscape. In a Games already embracing a decentralised model, Hospitality Houses could provide rhythm and cohesion.
This is where design matters. Architecture sets the tone — but the real impact lies in how space, brand, and experience interact. We’ve seen this play out in our work across the sports and events sectors. When spatial planning is intentional, disparate amenities become a single, magnetic experience.
Take a recent Open Architecture project on the Gold Coast.
Our client had all the ingredients: an epic downhill mountain bike track, a nine-hole golf course, a wedding venue, live music, pickleball courts, and a vision for more. But everything was dispersed. Each element operated in its own silo.
We reimagined the site as a unified precinct. Now, bikers finish their runs and arrive at a buzzing hub: drinks, music, and an audience ready to hear their stories. Nearby, pickleball players rally with the stage in view. From the bar, a guest can watch bikes being loaded onto buggies and wave back at friends mid-game.
How do you create that kind of experience? In our opinion, it’s about choreographing energy, sightlines, and spatial rhythm to create something greater than the sum of its parts. That’s the kind of intangible magic that design enables. And it’s the kind Brisbane has the chance to create.
Telling a story
To create impact, every Hospitality House should tell a clear story. That’s where branding and architecture can work together.
A heritage building might project prestige — ideal for countries looking to showcase cultural depth. A riverside pavilion might feel open and youthful — perhaps better suited to nations pursuing tourism or innovation agendas. It also comes down to the little things. The uniforms, the music, the menu. When done right, design shapes the identity people carry with them.
These venues shouldn’t only serve tourists either. Brisbane is home to some of Australia’s most culturally diverse communities. Cities like Logan count residents from more than 200 countries. Hospitality Houses can both reflect that diversity and represent it.
So, what happens to these Hospitality Houses go after the Games?
Right now, Brisbane has a unique opportunity to design with the afterlife in mind. If a venue isn’t suited to staying in its temporary Games location, one compelling option is to create relocatable Hospitality Houses, similar to Paris’ Grand Palais Éphémère or London’s Serpentine Pavilion. After the Games, these temporary structures could be reassembled in regional centres like Kingaroy, Toowoomba, or Maryborough. Each one has the potential to become a cultural anchor or tourism drawcard that contributes to long-term regional growth.
But that kind of repurposing isn’t accidental. It requires careful foresight and designing venues with long-term value embedded from the start: physically, financially, and socially.
At Open Architecture Studio, we believe the best Olympic legacies are the ones you can still walk through years later. Built for locals as much as for visitors. Designed with boldness, not just compliance.
If you’re a venue owner, planner, or creative partner with an idea for Brisbane 2032, now’s the time to start thinking about this. We design sports, events, and climate-responsive spaces that spark connection and create legacy. If you're ready to be part of Brisbane's golden opportunity, we’re ready to talk.