Brougham Place

BEFORE

A confined and under-utilised commercial space.

 
 

Formerly a tattoo studio, the property had become a labyrinth of small, disconnected rooms with little natural light and no meaningful connection to the street. Its layout was underutilised and uninviting: more a collection of enclosed spaces than a cohesive studio. Despite its central location, the building had lost its presence within the streetscape, offering little interaction or visibility to those passing by.

 
storefront with three large black awnings, one door, two windows with plants inside, and a wooden bench outside, on a city street during daytime.
A person working at a wooden table with a desktop monitor and a laptop, surrounded by books and a wireless keyboard and mouse.
A kitchen with exposed brick walls, a black countertop, and modern appliances including a microwave and coffee maker. A small framed picture hangs on a white wall, and there is a round wooden dining table with a white chair.
Wooden staircase with black metal railing against a brick wall in a dimly lit room.
Interior room with beige wall, framed abstract art, round wooden table, gray chairs, and a partial view of a black railing.
Two women working at a shared wooden desk with multiple computer monitors, laptops, and a smartphone.

Two women working at a shared wooden desk with multiple computer monitors, laptops, and a smartphone.

A detailed architectural model of a building site, showing multiple small wooden structures and surrounding terrain with pathways.

A detailed architectural model of a building site, showing multiple small wooden structures and surrounding terrain with pathways.

Close-up view of a wooden bench with woven seat, situated on a wooden floor.

Close-up view of a wooden bench with woven seat, situated on a wooden floor.

Interior view of a rustic room with stone walls, a picture frame, a black cabinet, and decorative bottles on a shelf.

Interior view of a rustic room with stone walls, a picture frame, a black cabinet, and decorative bottles on a shelf.

Interior of a meeting room with a round table, chairs, and a framed abstract painting on a beige wall.

Interior of a meeting room with a round table, chairs, and a framed abstract painting on a beige wall.

A person working at a desk with a computer monitor displaying a building floor plan, a keyboard, a pen, a yellow book titled 'build', and printed photographs on a wooden table.

A person working at a desk with a computer monitor displaying a building floor plan, a keyboard, a pen, a yellow book titled 'build', and printed photographs on a wooden table.

Close-up of a small sculpture of a human figure, placed on a rectangular base, with a textured stone wall in the background.

Close-up of a small sculpture of a human figure, placed on a rectangular base, with a textured stone wall in the background.

The image shows the facade of a building with two large windows on the upper floor and two storefront windows on the ground level. The building has beige-colored stone walls and black awnings over the storefronts. There is a brown door in the center

The image shows the facade of a building with two large windows on the upper floor and two storefront windows on the ground level. The building has beige-colored stone walls and black awnings over the storefronts. There is a brown door in the center on the ground floor with a glass panel and decorative pattern inside. A wooden bench is placed in front of the left storefront, and there is some greenery inside the right storefront. The sidewalk and street with pavement are visible at the bottom of the image.

A woman with long brown hair wearing a white shirt is sitting at a light wood conference table, taking notes in a notebook. A man with a bald head and beard wearing a brown shirt is sitting next to her, facing a computer monitor. There is a black cof

A woman with long brown hair wearing a white shirt is sitting at a light wood conference table, taking notes in a notebook. A man with a bald head and beard wearing a brown shirt is sitting next to her, facing a computer monitor. There is a black coffee mug in front of her on the table. The room has beige walls, a framed abstract painting, and a red structural pillar.

Kitchen with exposed brick wall, black countertop and sink, soap dispenser, and a shelf with coffee accessories including a jar of coffee beans and a pour-over kettle.

Kitchen with exposed brick wall, black countertop and sink, soap dispenser, and a shelf with coffee accessories including a jar of coffee beans and a pour-over kettle.

A scale model of a building with trees, placed on a white windowsill next to a wooden object with a screw, and a window showing an outdoor tiled surface.

A scale model of a building with trees, placed on a white windowsill next to a wooden object with a screw, and a window showing an outdoor tiled surface.

Wooden bathroom shelf holding decorative objects, a face spray, rolled towels, and a few small potted plants.

Wooden bathroom shelf holding decorative objects, a face spray, rolled towels, and a few small potted plants.

A person with a beard and glasses studying sketches and notes at a wooden table, with a laptop, a black mug, a keyboard, and papers around.

A person with a beard and glasses studying sketches and notes at a wooden table, with a laptop, a black mug, a keyboard, and papers around.

Close-up of wooden stairs with vertical black metal railing and a corner of a wooden frame on the left.

Close-up of wooden stairs with vertical black metal railing and a corner of a wooden frame on the left.

An architectural scale model of a building site, situated on a wooden surface, with a magazine titled 'RIAS Review' nearby, featuring a black-and-white photo of ruins or a stone structure.

An architectural scale model of a building site, situated on a wooden surface, with a magazine titled 'RIAS Review' nearby, featuring a black-and-white photo of ruins or a stone structure.

A wooden desk with two people working, one using a laptop and the other working on a computer monitor. There are photos, a pen, a mug, and a book on the desk.

A wooden desk with two people working, one using a laptop and the other working on a computer monitor. There are photos, a pen, a mug, and a book on the desk.

Wooden bench outside a building with stone and wooden door, with a sign that says 'Sommer Macintosh'.

Wooden bench outside a building with stone and wooden door, with a sign that says 'Sommer Macintosh'.

Modern office workspace with two black computer monitors on a wooden desk, ergonomic white office chairs, a small wooden stool, and a beige wall with a framed landscape painting. Overhead lighting includes track lights.

Modern office workspace with two black computer monitors on a wooden desk, ergonomic white office chairs, a small wooden stool, and a beige wall with a framed landscape painting. Overhead lighting includes track lights.

AFTER

An honest restoration, and a return to the street.

 
 

The conversion reimagines the space as our new practice studio, reinstating its relationship with the street and restoring its sense of purpose as an active, public-facing workspace. A back-to-brick approach guided the design, revealing and celebrating the existing stone and brick fabric while introducing contemporary Douglas Fir detailing around new window and door openings. The careful juxtaposition of new insertions and original structure creates a sense of craft and continuity throughout.

Internally, the palette of clay plaster, Douglas Fir flooring and raw steel was chosen for its tactility and durability: materials that will age gracefully with use. A new compliant stair leads to the lower-level meeting room, where the exposed stone and brick walls are complemented by Douglas Fir panelling and a simple steel balustrade. Traditional hand-painted and gilded signage completes the project, grounding the studio in its commercial context while reflecting our wider commitment to craft, material integrity and engagement with the city.

The project was a true collaboration, with contributions from R.F. Slight (windows and doors), Murrayfield Bespoke Plastering (plastering), Tangram Furnishers (fixtures and fittings), Catalog Interiors (pendant lighting), Archispek (kitchenette and bathroom cabinetry), Russwood (Douglas Fir flooring), Clayworks (clay plaster), Collinson Ceramics (bathroom tiles), Ketley Brick (floor tiles), Solas Signs (canopies and Corten signage), Thomas Paints (gilded sign painting), Corston Architectural Detail (ironmongery and faceplates), Banham Group (front door ironmongery), Astro Lighting (ceiling and track lighting) and Muuto (pendant lighting).

 
A stone wall with a rusty metal plaque that reads 'sommer-macdonald' and casts a shadow. To the right, there is a wooden fence.

Collaborators

CONTRACTOR
Gladstone Masonry

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Robertson Eadie

ELECTRICS
Arr Dee Electrical

PHOTOGRAPHY
Stephen Lister

Projects

Whether breathing new life into a historic building or designing something entirely new, we specialise in unlocking the potential of every site across Edinburgh, East Lothian and Perthshire. Our work integrates seamlessly with its surroundings, combining innovative solutions with a respectful understanding of context, character and place.

While our portfolio highlights just ten selected projects, our Index offers a wider view of our work, reflecting three decades of residential expertise and our legacy as one of Scotland’s longest-established architecture practices.

Projects
 

CONTACT

Your story will be reflected in the completed build—a notion that transcends design and construction.

 
 

We would love to hear your story. Please introduce us to your project via our enquiry form. A member of our team will respond within two business days.

Contact

Edinburgh Architects