GRAS have been invited by Glenrothes Distillery to develop proposals for the upgrade and refurbishment of on-site distillery offices, welfare facilities and sample room. Located in the Speyside area in the north of Scotland, the distillery is made up from a collection of warehouse buildings surrounded by an undulating landscape, where the water source for the whisky is also located. The original Distillery was built on the site of an old mill in Rothes in 1878.

With a focus on quality materials and ‘discerning luxury’ the proposals looked to elevate the distillery’s functional needs with innate flair and ‘daring elegance’, whilst staying true to the authentic, grounded feel of the rest of the distillery.

GRAS are working with Bostock Bakery to reconfigure their East Linton base to provide a new woodfires pizza area and café seating. The design uses a simple pallet of oak and reeded glass to form seating booths and tables, finished with simple upholstery. The design reimagines the circular Bostock logo as dowels in the seats and table tops, with triangular wall panels making reference to the cuts made pastry when making croissants

GRAS collaboration with S+CO, explored various design solutions for social spaces during pandemic. Featuring range of materials like blackened steel and plywood, as well as brass and oak, the polycarbonate screens were designed and fabricated in Leith, Edinburgh, to be carefully installed across UK.

Interior design scheme  for the refurbishment of the restroom facilities focused on maximising the space, increasing hygiene and sustainable solutions. The uniform colour palette is broken up by the bespoke white  basins and stainless steel faucets. The lights designed and fabricated by GRAS allow for more curated and energy efficient use of the spaces. Commissioned neon artwork softens the interior offering a visual respite.

Photography by Jaroslaw Mikos

The Cassette is the second in a series of retail spaces designed and fabricated by GRAS for the Waverley Mall shopping centre in central Edinburgh. Here, we created an open, bright and stylish new kiosk design that transforms what was once a dark and unused space.

GRAS conceived a carefully curated material palette for the kiosk, including delicate pink timber cladding and a chunky terrazzo worktop made out of reclaimed marble. These features are combined with bespoke elements including a brass frame with discrete integrated lighting and a custom-made neon sign. The Cassette has created a space which is playful in form and redefines its corner of the mall.

Refurbishment of a former tourist office within the mall to accommodate temporary premises of the Fruitmarket Bookshop. The space was radically transformed by exposing the concrete slab ceiling, floor, installing new seating and bespoke lighting. Continuing the language of minimal interventions, like introducing mild steel counters and plywood sheeting for walls, allowed the book store to carefully curate the book display, spaces for reading, events and a small office. The connection between W&J café and the book store drew visitors to newly-designed seating areas overlooking the atrium.

Photography by Jaroslaw Mikos

Bespoke light design and interior scheme for the refurbishment of the retail unit at Waverley Mall. Minimal language of colour and light gave new life to the unused space, serving as a contemporary background for the independent retailers pop-ups.

Photography by Jaroslaw Mikos

Designed using a simple palette of natural materials, oiled plywood , lacquered and colourful powder coated steel, second premises for the speciality coffee roastery and café in Edinburgh.

GRAS worked with Wavegarden Scotland to produce concept design for the retail and surf school at the artificial Wave pool in Ratho Quarry. The design proposes a cluster of timber clad blocks sitting under an oversailing roof. The composition forming in-between spaces both internally and externally for dining and social spaces along with a route from the country park down to the water’s edge as a meandering landscape though the building, reminiscent of sand dunes.

In 2017 GRAS have submitted a planning application for River Craft: a new floating platform that is as an expansion to the Malt & Hops pub on the Shore, Leith, Edinburgh. The proposal was for the installation of a new floating deck (18.5 m x 6.3 m) to the eastern edge of the Water of Leith basin, directly opposite the pub, which can accommodate additional seating, a servery, storage space and an accessible WC. The expansion will also benefit from additional sunlight for a longer period of the day. Its distinct aesthetic will provide enhanced marketing opportunities to help improve the long term sustainability of the establishment while adding to the creative capital of the area.

The servery will specialise in the provision of locally sourced beverages, including craft ales, and in the cooler months will be used as a test brewery. It is hoped that in time the deck will act as a catalyst to develop the production of craft ales, cordials and tonics as part of the Shore Brewery project which is currently being developed locally.

The timber clad deck will be supported on a box iron frame, encasing ballasted floats. Around the perimeter will be fixed a timber-framed balustrade clad in flush-finished translucent acrylic. This will provide some shelter from low level breeze while maintaining views to the surrounding basin and associated wildlife and ecological habitat. The aesthetics of the timber-framed balustrade will continue around the platform to form the servery, store and accessible WC on the north side. The structure will be moored against the dock with fixed arms which are capable of moving up and down with the slight changes in water level.

Although the design is not specifically nautical, the overall form is inspired by local barges and Leith’s history as a port. The finishes throughout have been kept intentionally restrained, using only simple forms and modern architectural detailing. As such the proposal is respectful of the character and architecture of the surrounding area and is designed to be striking but not dominant.

River Craft has been designed locally and will be built by local craftsmen. The aspiration is that it will contribute positively to the community, further enhancing the vibrancy and diversity of the area while developing a local business to meet growing demand.

Originally bought by Nicholas Groves-Raines and Kristin Hannesdottir in the 1980’s the basement was a disused part of a B-listed city centre tenement block in the Tron area of Glasgow. The flats above were developed and sold but the basement lay disused for over twenty years until GRAS was formed in October 2006. GRAS took occupancy in the small ground floor shop and began work developing the space beneath them.

For four months GRAS acted as tenants, architects, clients, project managers and often labourers, allowing them to view the project in detail from a number of different viewpoints. Great efforts were made to maximise the available floor area and ceiling height while trying to retain as much of the dramatic character of the space. The unassuming shop front entry at 11 James Morrison Street leads through the reception areas, at the rear of which an industrial mesh stairwell, lit from below leads down to the lower ground level studio space where five backlit sandstone columns stand complimented by clean white walls and a slate grey floor. The floor steps down from here to a sequence of double height studio spaces centred on large brick buttresses, lit by a full height glazed door to the commonly owned garden at the rear of the building. The resulting space is unexpected by the visitor and full of hints of Glasgow’s history, from the hand made brick walls to the remnants of Glasgow’s historic street frontages now hidden far below ground level.

Nisbet Wylie Photographs approached the practice with a brief to provide studio and office space, a meeting room, WC, lounge, kitchen and dressing room within an existing 350m² industrial unit. The existing building is left largely untouched with new facilities contained in two free-standing timber framed beech-ply boxes. They are specifically positioned within the building – dividing it into a series of studio, exhibition and circulation spaces. The units have their own heating, lighting, ventilation and entertainment systems allowing them to be used independently of the main space, minimising energy waste. Where possible, these materials were used in their unaltered state, minimising waste material and construction time, and clearly expressing their industrial origins. Photography by Nisbet Wylie Photographs.

An early James Adam House in the Merchant City, built in the 1790s. Originally forming the centre of a terrace, it was the only remaining building, completely derelict with the roof and top floor missing. Opened in 1985 Babbity Bowster is now a thriving bar with a restaurant and guest rooms. Babbity Bowster was awarded the Europa Nostra Silver Medal in 1986, RIAS Regeneration of Scotland Award in 1986 and a Civic Trust Award in 1987.