According to CLA, "The sample bedrooms show how a period property can be transported aesthetically into the 21st century whilst simultaneously celebrating and paying homage to its historical roots."

The Queen Anne style hotel, located in the heart of the city centre, adjacent to Central Station is Grade A Listed.  It was acquired by the hotel and conference centre group, Principal Hayley, from Real Hotel Group in June 2009 and rebranded the ‘Grand Central Hotel’. The hotel will officially re-open in early September 2010.

Working closely with Scottish Heritage, CLA has carefully retained, restored and integrated existing architectural features throughout the hotel. False ceilings, walls and cladding have been carefully removed and in some cases bedroom ceilings now soar to heights of 4.9 metres. Cornices have been restored or replaced and original full height windows reinstated along with timber reveal detailing. Each bedroom has a generous footprint and has been individually designed in response to the unique proportions of the existing architecture. The executive rooms are particularly spacious.

Vibrant palettes of hot pinks and reds on an envelope of taupe have been chosen for the Executive and Standard bedroom schemes respectively.

CLA has used the repetitious circular details of contemporary lighting fixtures to make reference to the history of the building by subtly recalling the long rows of iron wheels and the proximity to the station next door.

A plaid-like bed throw evokes classic locomotive interior upholstery as well as nodding to Scotland’s emblematic tartan and long-standing textile industry. The artwork, set into the bed-head architecture that itself is reminiscent of old panelled carriage interiors with high backed upholstered seating, is composed of a series of juxtaposed and collaged archival photographs and abstracted close-ups of train parts. The long horizontal composition echoes the linear nature of a train journey and the rush of fleeting images flying across the window like a film-strip. All the bedrooms have 100% low energy LED light fittings, pop up desk electrics and mounted 32” plasma TV’s.

30 additional guestrooms, bringing the total number of keys to 186, include three suites that commemorate some historical greats connected with the hotel - John F Kennedy, John Logie Baird and Robert Rowand Anderson, the eminent Scottish architect who designed the hotel along with Central Station in 1876.

“The Grand Central Hotel represents an exciting opportunity for us to work creatively within the constraints of a Grade A Listed Heritage property,” says Charles Leon, founder of Charles Leon Associates. “As a practice we always aim to provide creative and authentic design and this project gives us the chance to prove that this goal is as achievable within a heritage property as within a contemporary building.”

www.charlesleon.com