Return to Glory
Architectural heritage meets mid-century modern design at The Imperial
)
‘This is architecture that flows...a kind of soft brutalism,’ explains Jane Lock-Smith, Managing Director at cube_design.
‘For a modernist building, it’s quite extravagant; the gold dancing down the front of the façade is so delicate against the hardness of the concrete. But then this is architecture that flows, enabled by the articulation of the angles on the façade, a kind of soft brutalism,’ says Jane Lock-Smith, Managing Director at cube_design.
Lock-Smith is talking about The Imperial, Bloomsbury Hotel, which anchors one side of Russell Square. Originally opened in 1905, its current iteration was designed by George Anthony Wilson Brandeth in 1967, replacing the demolished Edwardian structure. Causing an outcry at the time, the sharp Vs of the geometric windows and the textured concrete were in stark contrast to the Victorian garden square that surrounded it, a bold, optimistic statement that looked to the future rather than the past.
)
)
)
‘I see my role as a custodian, bringing this grand old lady back to her original elegance.’
Back in 2016, Lock-Smith was called in to work on an extensive programme of restoration and renovation. ‘I see my role as a custodian, bringing this grand old lady back to her original elegance,’ she explains. There were lots of exciting discoveries: blue and gold Doulton tiles from the 1905 hotel’s Turkish baths, early composite orange tiles from the 60s, forgotten windows. At first, Lock-Smith took on the role of archaeologist, peeling away layers of alterations and additions, revealing and preserving the beautiful bones of the building beneath.
Many of The Imperial's distinctive features have now been lovingly restored, including the façade’s V-shaped bays and gold mosaic tiling, threaded almost like ribbons across the building. Elements of the former 1905 hotel, a series of bells and a wrought-iron model of a galleon, have also been integrated into the new design, placed above the courtyard in the Bell Room & Terrace. Even the hotel’s original 60s colour palette (orange, green and gold) has been subtly referenced.
Visitors now arrive through a landscaped courtyard, filled with trees and planting, hidden from public view. The communal spaces of the hotel have been expressly designed to keep the essence, scale and boldness of the exterior, but, with clever use of colour and materials, are warm and welcoming. And there is Bloomsbury’s first and only rooftop bar, called Arcus, and restaurant, with panoramic views looking over the treetops of the square and beyond to the London skyline. ‘The bar is topped by a distinctive, metal frill, designed to echo the V of the bay windows. This further leans into the idea of soft brutalism,’ says Lock-Smith.
)
)
)
‘The history of this London neighbourhood is so rich with references, from academic institutions to the writers and artists who have lived here.’
Throughout, there are references to the past and place and the idea of the hotel as a famous Bloomsbury landmark: ‘I think The Imperial’s sense of place is so important. The history of this London neighbourhood is so rich with references, from academic institutions to the writers and artists who have lived here.’ Lock-Smith has ensured that The Imperial remains very much part of that history. After all, this is a building that has hosted prime ministers, actors and athletes (whose photos line the walls of the executive lounge).
Ten years on, Lock-Smith is still in love with the now-completed hotel. ‘Some architecture is defensive, but I think The Imperial is so inviting and elegant. It is clever how it gets elements of brutalism across while still remaining welcoming. The Imperial stays true to its essential character but is now ready for the next generation of visitors.’
Words by Tamsin Kingswell
