The winner of the contest to design the centrepiece hotel in the £850 million St James Quarter development in the Scottish capital has been revealed.
Developer TIAA Henderson Real Estate has appointed architecture and interior design practice Jestico and Whiles to design the luxury hotel following a design competition that saw five international firms present their visions for Edinburgh St James.
London-based Jestico and Whiles is described as having designed the hotel as a "bundle of coiled ribbons, creating a free-flowing and bold building which will complement the development's elegantly understated masterplan".
The 210-room hotel plan includes a top floor bar, lounge and restaurant with 360 degree views.
Martin Perry, director of development at TH Real Estate, said: "Jestico and Whiles has a well-deserved reputation for its excellent work on a number of prestigious hotel and leisure facilities throughout the world.
"The team demonstrated a thorough understanding and imagination for what we would like to achieve for Edinburgh St James which was reflected in their proposals.
"The final hotel design is likely to be influenced by the operator and given Edinburgh is continuing to prove a highly attractive destination with a growing tourist economy and strong finance market, we are encouraged by the response we have received from interested parties so far."
Heinz Richardson, director, Jestico and Whiles, said: "We are thrilled to have been selected by TH Real Estate to be part of one of the biggest and most exciting regeneration projects currently under way in the UK.
"The contemporary design will be sympathetic to the surrounding World Heritage Site and its history, providing a first class destination for Edinburgh at the heart of the city's new retail quarter."
The development is due to be completed in 2020 with work starting later this year.
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