Restored white multi-story building with glass windows located along a rocky beach, under a clear blue sky.

Midland Hotel, Morecambe

Award winning creative conservation

The Midland Hotel occupies an unusual niche, operating as both a high end destination hotel and unofficially as a local tourist attraction.
In the design development process there was widespread consultation with open days attended by as many as 3,000 participants, and since completion there continues to be considerable interest and a high volume of visitors who are essentially sightseers.

A central plank of the response was meeting the duel aspirations of allowing ownership and access to this landmark building and creating privacy and exclusivity for functions and guests. A very high level of finish was required in all public areas and this had to be elegant, empathetic and robust.

White restored multi-story building with curved architectural design and decorative sculptures on the roof, featuring large windows, stairs, and a small garden area.
An abandoned multi-story building with a white exterior showing signs of decay and peeling paint, surrounded by construction barriers and equipment, under a clear blue sky.
A restored multi-story building with large glass windows and a curved design at dusk.

Existing Building before restoration

RIBA Crown Estate Conservation Award 2009
Civic Trust Award 2010 Special Award for Restoration.

Su Stringfellow was the project architect responsible for developing the design and detailing all of the interior fit out packages, working on small scale details with contractors on site on a daily basis for the duration of the project. Furniture selection, bespoke interior design and development of narratives into brand ideas were all integral to the approach.

This attention to detail and commitment to the project meant that despite tight timescales and budget pressure, a high quality award winning project emerged. The Midland Hotel was listed as one of the top 20 Creative Conservation projects by English Heritage and won the RIBA Crown Estate Conservation Award at the Stirling Prize in 2008. It has been widely published in journals and books.

Su Stringfellow completed at Union North.

Close-up of two decorative seahorse sculptures on a white building against a clear blue sky.
Modern indoor dining area with white tables and chairs, large glass windows, and potted plants, overlooking an outdoor landscape.
Interior of a hotel building with curved railings, red carpeted floors, and modern wall-mounted light fixtures.
People sitting and drinking outside a modern, multi-story building with large glass windows, set against a clear blue sky.

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