Biomorphis carried out a sensitive renovation of a Grade A Listed apartment on Great King Street, Edinburgh, within one of the city’s most significant Georgian streetscapes.
The project introduced a new bathroom designed as a functional object within the hallway, alongside a reconfigured kitchen layout, a redesigned entrance, and a programme of general renovation.
The apartment required careful intervention. Its listed status demanded respect for historic fabric, proportions, and circulation. At the same time, the client sought improved everyday functionality and contemporary comfort. The design balances both ambitions.
Design Approach
We approached the project with a clear principle: work within the existing structure while improving spatial efficiency. Rather than subdividing rooms, we concentrated key interventions along circulation routes. This strategy preserved the generosity of the original rooms and enhanced usability.
The hallway became an active part of the home. We designed the new bathroom as a self-contained architectural object, integrated seamlessly into the circulation space. This move reduced disruption to the main rooms while improving access and flow.
We reworked the kitchen layout and entrance to improve orientation and functionality. These changes clarify how the apartment operates day to day, without compromising its historic character.
Bathroom as Object
The bathroom acts as both infrastructure and furniture. Its form responds to the geometry of the hallway while remaining visually discreet. Carefully chosen materials and clean detailing allow the intervention to read as a contemporary insertion rather than a pastiche.
This approach allowed us to introduce modern services efficiently. At the same time, it avoided unnecessary alterations to original walls, floors, and ceilings.
Renovation and Material Strategy
Throughout the apartment, we adopted a light-touch renovation strategy. We retained and repaired original elements wherever possible. New finishes remain restrained and complementary, allowing historic features to take precedence.
Material choices support durability, clarity, and long-term use. Each intervention reinforces the apartment’s identity while improving comfort and performance.
Outcome
The retrofit at Great King Street demonstrates how listed apartments can evolve without losing their integrity. By concentrating interventions, treating new elements as objects, and respecting historic fabric, the project delivers a more functional and comfortable home.
The result is a carefully balanced interior where contemporary living coexists with Georgian architecture, proving that sensitive design can unlock new possibilities within Edinburgh’s most protected buildings.
Guidance for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
Advice for anyone considering repairing, altering or extending a listed building or an unlisted building in a conservation area.
Living in a listed building
Advice on listed building consent, suitable materials for repairs and failure to maintain a listed building.