Former Bewleys Hotel Glasgow : Information + Images

Location: Bath Street - northwest of city centre Designer: gm+ad architects Date: 1999-2000 Photos: Andrew Lee exterior building image from gm+ad architects 2002 Address: 110 Bath St, Glasgow G2 Now Marks Hotel gm + ad architects: text re Glasgow Bewleys Bewleys Hotel Glasgow is not shy and retiring so it may come as a surprise that many think it doesn’t fit into the Glasgow context. Admittedly the neighbourhood is generally restrained and orderly in architectural terms with a fair amount of Georgian buildings. The hotel’s key features are the ranks of forward-leaning windows and the powerful oversailing roof. Bewley's cantilever is not only massive, but detailed in a tactile way to give weight and dynamism: the roof is alive, dominating and poignant. Bewleys Hotel Glasgow: image from gm+ad architects 2002 The interior is standard Bewleys fare - apparently the Client's wife helped with the decor - but the reception and restaurant warm up towards the exterior. It's a shame the building can't be turned on its head as the best bits are up there in the sky. You either love this building or hate it, but Scotland desperately needs confident contemporary architecture if we want to play on the world stage. Bewleys Hotel: image © adrian welch 2005 GM+AD Architects: Bewleys Hotel Glasgow PR "The conversion and extension of the former headquarters of Tennent Caledonian Brewery at 110 Bath Street, Glasgow, is the first UK hotel project for Irish developers Spanli, owners of the Bewleys franchise. Bewleys Hotel Glasgow: image from gm+ad architects 2002 Although little known in Scotland, the Bewleys Hotel name is instantly recognised in Eire and particularly in Dublin, for providing comfortable budget accommodation to week day business users, young families with children and visiting tourists. Their business philosophy is " four star accommodation at three star prices" Rooms sizes are generous and the decor chosen to give a "home from home" feel. gm+ad's brief was to provide Bewleys in Glasgow with an immediately recognisable "icon" hotel building which would launch the Bewleys name in the UK and to provide 104 bedrooms, reception and space for a ground floor bar and restaurant.  Bewleys themselves fitted out the bedrooms. Bewleys Hotel Glasgow: image from gm+ad architects 2002 gm + ad architects have fulfilled that brief and 110 Bath Street is immediately recognisable.  Visible from key locations in the city, Bewleys Hotel Glasgow is provocative and intended to be so.  Reactions to gm+ad's design have been both very supportive and, at times detrimental.  Ranging from "big bold and beautiful" to "meretricious".  The controversy has had a positive effect though, with this Glasgow hotel achieving almost 100% occupancy since opening in June 2000, to the delight of Bewleys. Bewleys Hotel: image © adrian welch 2005 gm + ad architects are now looking at designing Bewleys hotels in Nottingham and Manchester."