nicoll russell studios - hospitality

Nicoll Russell Studios

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Nicoll Russell Studios were established in 1982 and have completed over 2500 commissions. The practice’s work has received 7 RIBA Awards, a Special RIBA Award, national Civic Trust Awards alongside numerous others, but it has always been the resolution of each client’s requirements which has been at the heart of our design philosophy.

The practice works throughout the UK and internationally. Projects have been undertaken in Australia, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, China and Russia. Our Studios are both an architectural and interior design practice. We regularly collaborate with other creatives such as branding consultants and often have provided architectural support for major interior design practices.

Dundee Rep Theatre An Lanntair

Howden Park Arts Centre

Nicoll Russell Studios: Design for Hospitality

Selected Clients:

Baxters

Beanscene

Belhaven

Big Beat Group Ltd.

G1 Property Group

Howies

Leonardo & Co.

Punch Taverns

Shell

Stakis Plc

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A large proportion of our workload has always been focused on Hospitality Design. Our practice employs a number of Interior Designers and the majority of our staff have been involved in work of this kind. They have therefore led the creative effort required in such projects, they have worked closely with shopfitters and other specialist manufacturers, and have the drive required to deliver such projects within commercially realistic timescales. This sector of our work is led by our partners Andy Baxter and Ric Russell. Much of that work has been from the hospitality sector and has included: • Restaurants • Bars • Hotels • Theatres • Nightclubs We recognise the rich and luxurious palette of materials often required in this type of environment in an effort to make each operation unique and attractive to the public. Quite apart from delivering functionality and operational efficiency we must play a lead role in developing an interior which will attract and continue to attract the paying customer consistent with the operation’s position in the marketplace. Hospitality can be described as the act of welcoming, receiving or hosting guests, customers or strangers with comfort, entertainment and a high quality of service. This applies whether the venue is a night club, a fine dining restaurant, a theatre foyer or a café bar. In conjunction with our clients, Nicoll Russell Studios have made strenuous efforts to ensure that all projects we have undertaken in the licensed leisure market have fulfilled all of these objectives and aspirations. The following are a few examples of these successes.

Introduction

In 2009 Stirling’s leisure scene received a major boost when Morrisons Cold Beer Company opened for business. Morrisons Cold Beer Company is a family run bar and restaurant serving central Scotland’s largest range of beers and whiskies together with wholesome home style food freshly prepared daily on the premises.

The unique impression created by the Morrisons Cold Beer Company appears to be one of a family brewery that has diversified into the retail market. A large brewing kettle characterises the main area and the interior has a strong industrial character which is softened by the use of traditional material and details. This emporium of food and drink is hauntingly atmospheric with dark wood, leather, copper and granite used generously throughout.

Stirling

Morrisons Cold Beer Co.

NICOLL RUSSELL STUDIOS DESIGN FOR HOSPITALITY

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Dundee’s cultural quarter has been home to many trendy bars and restaurants over the years. ‘The Playwright’ is the one such member of this group. Located adjacent to the Dundee Rep Theatre, the interior, graphics and branding of the Playwright all draw influence from the performing arts. The contemporary dining area has a formal atmosphere conveyed through the careful selection of furniture, lighting

and materials. The cocktail lounge area has been designed as a more casual environment with fixed seating and comfortable tub chairs. There is a glass floor in the bar area which overlooks the basement wine cellar creating a visual contrast between the light openness of the ground floor and the dark warm atmospheric mood of the basement.

Dundee

The Playwright

Fat Sams has been one of Scotland’s premier music venues for 35 years, and over the last ten years, NRS have extended and altered the venue to create a “super club” which can hold 3500 dance and live music aficionados. The venue is located in a converted “Jute Warehouse” on the edge of Dundee’s ‘Cultural Quarter’, and contains three club rooms and a state of the art live music venue overlooked by a futuristic VIP bar.

Each room is different in character and more contemporary than the last, with cutting edge and state of the art lighting and sound systems used throughout. The “Jewel” is “Live” the purpose built live music auditorium which can hold 1350 fans. This block box environment has recently hosted events from some of the UK’s finest musicians including Biffy Clyro, Plan B and the Average White Band and is a “must have” tour date for a UK promoter.

Dundee

Fat Sam’s Nightclub


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Nicoll Russell Studios have worked on a number of phases of development at Fat Sams and were appointed to advance proposals for a complex inner city site hemmed in by several Grade ‘B’ listed former warehouses, which now form the core of Dundee’s largest nightclub. The site enjoyed a narrow street elevation linking back into a courtyard and surrounded by the various warehouses.

‘Live’ continued themes explored in the earlier Fat Sam’s developments, retaining and exposing the original fabric of the listed warehouses whilst supplementing that with deliberately robust, almost industrial, finishes and detailing to withstand the challenges of intensive use. The main space holds crowds of up to 1350 people and has headline acts such as Biffy Clyro. That space is in turn supported by bars, lounges and VIP rooms which have made it the city’s most popular live music venue.

Dundee

Fat Sam’s ‘Live’

The Twa Tams established itself as Perth’s “Music Pub” in the 70’s and 80’s and after being acquired by the Belhaven Brewery Company was comprehensively refurbished by Nicoll Russell Studios in late 2005. The venue’s unique selling point, besides the live music, is the “inside out”, a unique beer garden environment which makes it difficult to tell where pub and garden meet.

The scheme includes various traditional details but presents these with a contemporary twist. The bar/restaurant is traditional styled with natural stone, dark wood and atmospheric lighting to creating a comfortable and inviting interior. Perth

The Twa Tams


Howies Boutique Hotel Aberdeen + Dundee

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‘The Lounge’, was the first of a series of café bars to be developed for Edinburgh based ‘Howies Restaurants’. The brief called for a sophisticated, contemporary interior, which was comfortable and stylish. The client required a brand which could be annexed to, but which would not compete with the re‐branded image of their ‘Howies Restaurants’ and Hotels. Nicoll Russell Studios developed the boutique hotel ‘Howies

with Rooms’ in a grade A listed town house in central Dundee. Despite considerable limitations in budget and programme, Nicoll Russell Studios have succeeded in creating a distinctive series of interiors, which maximise the features of the host buildings and establishes a fresh and stylish brand. Sophisticated natural materials overlay an airy conservatory space which houses two large specimen trees.

Medina is located in the heart of Dundee’s cultural quarter. The client brief was to design a scheme within a very limited time frame that would completely transform the interior of the existing bar and restaurant. Drawing inspiration from Moroccan and North African culture, the aim was to create an atmospheric and imaginative interior that would entice the public in for a closer inspection.

The use of bold Moroccan window graphics teamed with sheer fabrics and curtains create a layered frontage. Enhancing the North African atmosphere, the perforated iron wall lights and pendants cast patterned shadows across the spice coloured walls and textured fabrics. Authentic Moroccan pouffs, custom designed fret cut Moroccan sofas, poseur tables and an eclectic mix of patterned fabrics also re‐enforce the strong North African theme.

Dundee

Medina Bar & Grill


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Glasgow

Nicoll Russell Studios worked in partnership with the London based design house Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to create Scotland’s first Jamie’s Italian. The restaurant is situated in a prominent location on Glasgow’s George Square within the grade A listed former Post Office building. Nicoll Russell Studios secured the Planning Approval for various elements of the project, along with the Building Warrant

Approval for the restaurant and supported the delivery of the project whilst on site. Split between two floors the restaurant can seat almost 300 customers and is run by almost 100 members of staff. Measuring approximately 90 metres by 90 metres, the Glasgow restaurant boasts the largest kitchen within the chain. The interior followed the tenets of the established brand. It opened to great interest in the media and has proven to be hugely popular and successful

Jamie’s Italian


Identifying a niche market in the Broughty Ferry leisure market, Nicoll Russell Studios were commissioned by our Client to design a relaxed contemporary drinking and eating experience for the over 30s. Broughty Ferry has many traditional bars and 18‐30 popular/commercial pubs. Couture, which employs high fashion as it’s back drop, fills the void.

The interior is primarily split into 3 areas; the dining area, the main bar/cocktail area and the private dining room. To develop the fashion theme, pattern and texture has been emphasised through carefully selected materials. The floor tiles for example have a tweed appearance and the wall paper has a damask lace quality. In addition a local artist was commissioned to create a series of unique fashion related images for the interior.

Broughty Ferry

Couture Bar Restaurant

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Nicoll Russell Studios successfully completed the original Leonardo & Co Brew Bar, Bistro which prompted a brand ‘roll out’ of seven units in Scotland. The brand is clearly identified through a witty interpretation of Da Vinci’s Last Supper. Local artists have created fine art pieces which decorate the wall of all the units & celebrate the work of Leonardo Da Vinci.

At the Fruitmarket, in Glasgow’s Merchant City, Leonardo’s was part of a larger council‐led redevelopment of the category A listed former market building. Nicoll Russell Studios sympathetically dealt with the existing structure and decorated it simply, whilst adding clearly articulated modern insertions within the space to give ‘warmth’ and engage with the public. The project greatly assisted making the Fruitmarket a vibrant venue whilst remaining true to the qualities of the listed building.

Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Stirling

Leonardo & Co.


The Oblomov café bar was an interior refurbishment of a poorly decorated existing public house. It was agreed with the client that the existing ‘Oblomov’ branding which has been used in other venues throughout Scotland would be used as a model for the interior design of the new look café bar.

Influenced by Czarist Russian interiors of the mid 19th Century, the interior was designed to be dark and atmospheric with wrought metal work, opulent velvet drapes and dark wood. The interior consisted of an intimate candle lit restaurant area as well as a curving public bar area.

Glasgow

Oblomov Café Bar

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Glasgow

This was a major £1.5million development for Big Beat. Housed in a Grade B listed 1930’s canal side building adjacent to the Forth and Clyde canal, it involved the change of use and full conversion of the existing building. The concept was that of a high quality micro brewery which also offered excellent food in a welcoming modern environment, in keeping with the aesthetic of the original building’s exterior. Nicoll Russell Studios were appointed to provide a full architectural and interior design service, including aspects such as graphics and signage. The family restaurant occupied the first floor of the former timber

merchants. The restaurant was aimed at the weekend market offering good levels of car parking, Sunday roasts, external seating, high quality external landscaping etc. The ground floor was entirely taken up by the micro brewery and benefited from external canal side seating. This high quality bar was the first microbrewery in Scotland and had a capacity of approximately 300 people . This was one of almost thirty projects which NRS carried out for Big Beat. As is normal in projects of this kind it was delivered on a fast track basis in only 6 months using specialist shopfitting contractors.

The Canal Micro Brewery


Nicoll Russell Studios secured planning permission and maximised the value of this site consisting of a nine storey Grade 1 listed Art Deco Office building set within the Leicester Square conservation area in the heart of London’s West End. NRS worked closely with Ron McCulloch and Big Beat to deliver the interiors.

The £18 million pound project involved extensive conservation works and air rights development. The building consists of a mixed use development of restaurants, retail and nightclubs, visitors were drawn vertically through the building via a series of escalators. The works were both bold (where possible) incorporating a five storey plasma screen which was curated by an artist in Australia and deferential to the qualities of its setting and existing building (where appropriate).

London

Number One Leicester Square

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Glasgow

Nicoll Russell Studios were commissioned by Celtic Football Club’s Facilities Managers to develop proposals for the refurbishment and extension of Parkhead’s Main Stand. This involved substantial external works including recladding the brick elevation, new curtain walling to the entrance and reception areas and a new seating level. Internally the project provided several thousand covers within new corporate dining rooms, corporate entertainment boxes and major new

banqueting kitchens. These facilities were complimented by a new boardroom looking westwards over Glasgow’s skyline with a new museum and trophy room adjacent. Beneath the seating areas a new suite of player facilities were to be developed. This major project was valued in the order of £20 million. In parallel to this Nicoll Russell Studios developed through to completion the Celtic superstore located to the west of the main stand.

Celtic Football Club

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