Opened in November 2025, Brown’s of Leith marks the first phase in the phased refurbishment and conversion of the former George Brown & Sons Engineering Works on The Shore, Leith. For more than 130 years, the building housed engineers and metalworkers, and the project begins by keeping that industrial lineage present. Existing fabric is retained and repaired, with new use is introduced in a way that allows the building’s working character, scale and texture to remain legible.

Brown’s of Leith brings together independent food and drink partners alongside shared spaces, with future phases planned to accommodate artists, architects and creative practitioners. As part of the wider Custom Lane ecosystem, it supports collaboration, shared knowledge and a community shaped through use over time. Haze, Shuck Bar by ShrimpWreck, Civerinos and Woven form the first phase, with a bakery and workshop in development. Open Thursday to Sunday, 8am–8pm, the building holds spaces for eating, drinking and pause, overlooking the Water of Leith.

The refurbishment is conceived as a sequence rather than a single moment. Phase one establishes the ground-floor life and shared social spaces that make the building immediately active, while the upper floors continue to host a small number of resident studios. These include textile artist Hayley McCrirrick, and jewellers Gina Burgess and Madeleine Holloway, whose practices are shaped through hand skill, drawing and material-led processes. Together, they extend the building’s long relationship with craft and material work, and set a tone for the mix of hospitality, making and creative production that will deepen in later phases.

New interventions are kept materially direct and deliberately readable, taking cues from the building’s history of fabrication. Steel furniture for Haze was fabricated by The Ritual Works, continuing the site’s lineage of metalwork through contemporary making. At the bar, waste stone from Hutton Stone’s Darney quarry in Northumberland was reworked into bricks, folding a by-product back into use and giving the project a material story that is both pragmatic and expressive.

Brown’s of Leith is intended as a collaborative place rather than a finished object, a building able to grow with its tenants and evolve through subsequent phases. Over time it will expand its programme of studios, workshops, events, exhibitions and residencies, extending the former engineering works as a place where food, making and art can unfold within retained industrial fabric.

The site consists of a late 15th century ruinous Tower House and a 17th century Doocot within a walled garden in Prestonpans. It is owned by the National Trust for Scotland but has been managed by East Lothian Council since 1972.  Situated in a coastal area of a former mining town, the area has faced deprivation and a lack of investment over the years.

The project is publicly funded and the brief was developed in collaboration between the building owners, the management organisation and the community. The priority was to bring the structures into a good state of repair, improve public access to both buildings, and provide interpretation of the site in order to enhance the experience for current users, increase awareness of its significance and encourage more people to visit.

A light touch approach was important in order to maintain the character of the site and the proposals were distilled to concise architectural moves in order to make sense of the existing gardens and open up and improve the flow of the visitor experience, whilst protecting the future of the built fabric and landscape. Budget constraints and a conservation approach necessitated a very careful prioritising of works, including minimising maintenance.

This project is one chapter in the site’s history where a stabilised, revived and improved beloved heritage asset has been delivered back to its community, ready to be utilised to positively contribute to the common weal of the entire area.  Rather than a comprehensive refurbishment, it is a collection of small precise interventions which together make a large impact.

GRAS collaborated with the Friends of Water of Leith Basin to deliver a new mural celebrating the life and work of Eduardo Paolozzi, the internationally renowned Scottish artist born in Leith in 1924. The original mural, installed in 2014 on the frontage of a vacant shop at 73 Henderson Street, had deteriorated beyond repair.

The new mural presents Paolozzi as an older man, set against a backdrop of familiar Leith landmarks rendered in a vibrant Pop Art style inspired by his own work. Created by artist Halla Groves-Raines, the mural was produced using durable marine-grade plywood and stainless steel fixings, ensuring longevity in the face of Edinburgh’s weather.

The project involved the careful removal of the existing mural and support structure, followed by the construction of a new subframe and the installation of the printed and mounted artwork using advanced scanning and fabrication techniques consistent with the original method.

Unveiled to the local community, the mural stands as a confident, contemporary homage that enriches the cultural fabric of Leith and continues to honour Paolozzi’s legacy in his hometown.

Competition proposal for the new municipal library building in Česká Lípa, Czechia. The ultimate function of a library is in question. More and more it is a place to connect with each other, transforming itself into a new social platform with knowledge in its centre. The proposal seeks to write a story about the place and its two historical structures co-occupying the site. One of the last fragments of the fortification wall left in the city runs through the site forming the main entry to the new library. The proposed building complements the existing architecture and tries to create a unified whole with it. Both in proportion and scale, and in the morphology used. The design works with rhythmically repeating symmetrical gable roofs and the massive mass of the buildings. Behind this heavy skin opens a new world filled with light from above and carefully framed views back towards the town showing it from new perspectives.

GRAS was commissioned by Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust to prepare a conservation statement and feasibility study for Rosefield Mills, a Category B-listed nineteenth-century former tweed mill prominently located near Dumfries town centre. The building features a grand Venetian palazzo-style façade overlooking the banks of the River Nith but has remained empty and unused for many years.

Building upon previous studies and reports, GRAS’s work focuses on exploring viable options for repair and adaptive reuse that prioritise the conservation and retention of the existing fabric. Initial draft proposals have been prepared and issued for review and comment. These documents assess the building’s significance, identify the challenges it faces, and outline a concept for re-use based on a ‘festival tent’ approach—a large, open, and flexible space designed to accommodate a variety of community, cultural, retail, and commercial activities.

Photography by Martin Kerr and Natasha Huq.

Brough Lodge Trust worked with GRAS to develop a feasibility study for the creation of a retreat at Brough Lodge, a Grade A listed complex, of national importance, on Fetlar in the Shetland Islands.

The proposal seeks to create an event space within the exiting Lodge, along with new build bedroom wings for up to 50 guests. A look-out restaurant offers panoramic views of Fetlar and the surrounding islands, along with the historic folly tower which caps an iron-age Broch from which the Lodge got it’s name.

GRAS developed the proposals in close consultation with Historic Environment Scotland and The Shetland Amenity Trust to maintain the unique character and setting of the lodge, while securing a future of this historically and architecturally important complex.

GRAS completed accessibility improvements to the East Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen on behalf of the Open Space Trust. This £350,000 project involved the construction of a wheelchair ramp and the provision of an accessible WC and kitchen within the Chapel of St Mary. The chapel, a late-medieval structure, forms the undercroft of the larger church, which was substantially rebuilt in the nineteenth century. These works represent an important step towards improving public access to the chapel while plans for a broader transformation of the East Kirk are developed.

GRAS collaborated  with artist Juli Bolaños-Durman on a commission for the Royal Edinburgh Hospital on temporary loan to the Scottish Parliament. The light boxes were designed to invite all audiences to come up close and indulge in the details of the glass sculptures and its shadows.

The material palette for the cabinets is simple – whitewashed oak veneered timber with brass detailing. The objective was to frame the glass installation and provide protected environment for the fragile pieces that could be observed from different angles, even with wheelchair accessibility in mind. Read more about the project via Juli Bolaños-Durman’s website.

GRAS has been appointed to sensitively upgrade, repair, and extend the village hall in East Lothian. The project aims to create a modern community hub that unlocks the building’s potential and welcomes a broader range of users. Partial funding has been secured from Fred Olsen Crystal Rig Wind Farm, and preparations for on-site work are underway.

The Literature House is the flagship project of the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust. It seeks to unite two iconic Edinburgh buildings, John Knox House and the Scottish Storytelling Centre, to create a welcoming hub celebrating Edinburgh as a literary city and Scotland as a literary nation. The Literature House aims to be a vibrant place of encounter, offering event spaces, interpretive experiences, a café and meeting place, bookshop, and information centre.

The proposals require a sensitively crafted approach to address the complexity of the site and buildings, alongside a highly aspirational brief. Witherford Watson Mann and GRAS have collaborated closely on a feasibility study, developing a scheme to improve accessibility, enhance the flow between the two buildings, and upgrade their fabric and services. While the project currently awaits the next phase of development, the groundwork laid continues to inform future progress toward realising this exciting vision.

The design of the new library has the ambition to become a local sub-center located between the inner and outer bypass of the city of Olomouc, in the Nové Sady housing estate. At first glance, the introverted building opens into the housing estate through a newly designed outdoor space, which carries with it a claim to clarify and recultivate the surrounding environment so that it is possible to create a dignified pre-space for newly emerging public institution.

The library building looks modest on the outside, but it attracts with its elegant timber façade of the 1st floor extension, which suggests the uniqueness of the internal function. It offers generous spaces and accommodating gestures to enrich social life, culture, education, and concentration. The ambition of the design was not to create an architectural icon, but to focus on the harmonious connection of building with its environment and especially the general logic and functionality of the entire space. 

GRAS was appointed to develop proposals for the redevelopment of West Princes Street Gardens, situated at the heart of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. The project required a continuous commitment to assessing and minimising the impact of all new works on the site’s heritage assets. This included reviewing and updating the existing Conservation Management Plan and Statement of Significance, as well as preparing a detailed Heritage Statement for early submission to the City Council’s planning authority.

In addition, GRAS advanced a detailed conservation and repair scheme for the three garden shelters located along the upper terrace. These Category B listed concrete shelters, dating from 1948, represent an early and rare example of modernist architecture in Edinburgh. As the only such structures within the Gardens, their preservation demands sensitive and carefully considered intervention.

The work demonstrates a rigorous and balanced approach to heritage management, addressing the requirements of redevelopment while respecting the architectural and cultural significance of the Gardens.

Caisteal Bharraich is a dramatic and historically significant scheduled monument that sits high above the Kyle of Tongue in Sutherland. The exact date of the rectangular tower’s construction remains uncertain, but there is significant evidence suggesting the earliest possible construction date was around the first half of the 15th century. Later records show that surprisingly few alterations have been made since this time. However, during the winter of 2015 large sections of the monument suffered severe weather damage and GRAS was commissioned to stabilise and consolidate the ancient monument.

Constructed around 1810, Eriboll Church is a historic kirk overlooking Loch Eriboll on the North Coast 500 route. Before GRAS’s involvement, the building was unused, in poor condition, and lacked vehicle access and utilities. GRAS was appointed to undertake a comprehensive upgrade and repair of the entire structure.

The church is once again available for occasional services, welcoming both local residents and visitors. Internally, the building has been sensitively enhanced through the discreet installation of new building services, the reinstatement of original plastered finishes, and the addition of two new windows in the nave to increase natural light.

Externally, a thorough programme of repairs has been carried out using traditional materials appropriate to the historic fabric. To support access while respecting the sensitive setting, a discreet new car park and landscaping were introduced, carefully designed to minimise visual and environmental impact.

A stands for a basic symbol of shelter.
A is a new landmark of Icelandic mountains offering a refuge to hikers.
A provides shelter for up to ten people simultaneously along with self-generated hot water and electricity.
A embraces the traditional design of A-frame huts recognizable in Iceland and forms its own language.
A is a perfect shape for withstanding the harsh climate of Iceland, resisting wind and snow.
A is an adaptable architectural framework, not a single design.

The design took the form of a ‘skeletal’ assemblage. Individual frames were customised for the artist and created a boundary encapsulating display pieces. The frames were joined to create a continuous structure which lightly floats within the room, allowing viewers to move in and out of the space – becoming part of the exhibition itself. Varying dimensions and heights allowed for  for the framework to be re-usable and recyclable in the future elsewhere.

This proposal seeks to create a highly functional, flexible and adaptable series of structures which reflect the creative energy and diversity of the Fringe Street Events, while providing the conditions to maximise the engagement and enjoyment of visitors. These structures will be designed and built with a consistently bold visual style, connecting all components from entrance gate to market stall to stage.

The physical configuration and appearance of each backdrop, stage or entrance gate can be simply configured to suit the ever-changing performers’ requirements by manually rotating, sliding or moving components. The alteration of the structure is at first functional: to provide a backdrop which best suits a specific performance; to provide some shelter from the rain; or to communicate a new message to reflect the day’s activities. When extrapolated over the length of the street, these alterations will have playful and surprising results.

Introducing an element of augmented reality to the structures, the experience gains another layer where the visitors can navigate through the events and find more information about the ongoing events.
Through constant engagement by performers, visitors and even changes in the weather, the whole structure is in a continuing state of flux: never the same twice; interchangeable hour by hour, day by day and year by year. Feeding off one another, the structures, performers and people become a hypnotic theatrical performance. As well as their energetic and lively existence, the structures also provide places of calm and escape where one can retreat from the crowds for example via an elevated platform, to observe and watch as the entertainment continues below.

GRAS worked with US-based design practice wHY and engineering firm Arup on the winning proposal to revitalise a nationally-important site in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens. As one of the city’s most famous landmark locations, there was a great responsibility to reimagine this historic place through a design that is both innovative and respectful to the people, wildlife, landscape and heritage of the Scottish capital.

The competition-winning proposal comprises an organic landscape-focused scheme that respects the historic setting but also animates the Gardens through the introduction of a new undulating promenade together with improved access from nearby Princes Street and sculptural seating with dynamic open views. The space could be used throughout the year to host an array of cultural, musical and artistic events and activities, with world-class facilities in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Quaich Project would also encourage daily use by residents and enhance connections between Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns through improved pathways and activation of this underused site.

Inspired by the Gardens’ geology and history – from the volcanic forces to the man-made energy of the Victorian pleasure garden – the design subtly integrates the new visitor centre and pavilion into the folds of the landscape, allowing the castle to remain the main visual focus. The ‘quaich’ concept was informed by the topography of the land, which mirrors the bowl of a typical Scottish ‘sharing cup’. The scheme would increase the amount of green space relative to hard surfaces within the Gardens and is, in the team’s words, “human scale with moments of drama… activating four layers of meaning within the Gardens: botanical, civic, commemorative and cultural.”

Conceived by GRAS, Custom Lane is a collaborative platform created to identify, support and celebrate emerging world-class design in Scotland. Occupying part of a 19th-century Custom House in the heart of Leith, Custom Lane aims to provide Scotland’s most engaging, enriching and enjoyable work environment for designers and design-led makers. Working closely with the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, which manages the site on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, GRAS has overseen the transformation of the previously inaccessible building into a vibrant creative hub.

Following the success of the 2016 showcase at London Design Fair, GRAS was re-commissioned by Craft Scotland and Emergents to design and build a stand for use at various shows throughout 2017-2019, including the Collect event at London’s Saatchi Gallery. GRAS developed a modular and reusable structure that provided a platform for each designer to showcase their own work, while also presenting the collective as a cohesive whole. The display was conceived to be highly engaging and elegant in its own right, reflecting the showcase’s focus on craftsmanship and design, while being subservient to the work being presented.

Gayfield Creative Spaces was an arts hub based in and around a former tyre depot just off Gayfield Square in Edinburgh. Between 2013 and 2017, it hosted a dynamic programme of exhibitions, residencies, events and workshops, supporting artists, designers and makers working across disciplines.

GRAS was invited to transform the building into a series of galleries, studios, workshops and adaptable event spaces. The ambition was to support collaboration and exchange by creating a framework that could respond to different scales and types of activity.

Prior to the work, the building was composed of several distinct but disconnected spaces, each shaped by its industrial past. The challenge lay in bringing these parts together without compromising their individual character. Rather than impose a singular vision, the approach was one of careful alignment—finding ways for the spaces to work together through minimal but precise architectural interventions.

Throughout the process, the proposals were refined and reduced, with every decision tested against the practical needs of the brief. New connections and shared facilities were introduced using a simple and consistent palette, allowing the spaces to operate as a cohesive whole while retaining the richness of their varied forms.

The result was a flexible and purposeful venue that enabled a wide range of creative practices to take root. By working with the grain of the existing building, the project allowed it to adapt and evolve, supporting a vibrant and responsive arts community in the heart of the city.

The aim of this project was to interrogate the notion of a building as a product rather than a process. By allowing visitors the chance to see Hill House as they have never seen it before, the Hill House Visitor Centre would have demanded an alternative perspective on the nature of permanence, the role of conservation and the future of Hill House. In collaboration with Invisible College / NVA, our proposal was to invite the public to engage in the story of a building as it emerges through its period of construction, use, and ultimate disassembly. Set alongside the planned conservation works on Hill House, this would have proven an engaging, thought-provoking and progressive critique on the future of Mackintosh’s buildings, and indeed all existing buildings.

Positioned along the back wall of the garden, the Hill House Visitor Centre provides a visible and accessible gateway to the grounds from both the traditional gated entrance and the carpark to the rear. From atop the garden wall, the visitor would experience a side of Hill House not usually acknowledged, while also enjoying a view of the River Clyde beyond the rooftops of Helensburgh. In contrast to the sculptural mass of Hill House, the Visitor Centre comprised a skeletal structure of scaffolding that sits lightly on the ground, stepping over the wall and bridging the carpark and garden; woodland and house.

Low cost, readily available and easy to assemble: traditionally, scaffolding is the parasite that clings to a building, In this instance, however, the scaffolding itself is the host, with the voids between the poles providing the spaces into which building boxes are nested. A definitively temporary architecture, this building is modular, demountable and adaptable. Its fragmented form allows the existing trees to remain standing in the voids of the structure, and encourages new growth to interact with the building over the temporary period of its existence.

The Isle of May Light Beacon is a Scheduled Ancient Monument situated on the Isle of May in the centre of the Firth of Forth. Constructed around 1636, it is Scotland’s earliest purpose-built lighthouse and is believed to be one of the oldest surviving lighthouse structures in the world. Over time, the building fell out of use, and traditional repair materials were replaced by more economical short-term solutions. Combined with a reduced maintenance workforce, these factors led to a gradual deterioration of the structure.

In response to growing concerns about the beacon’s condition, GRAS was appointed to conduct a detailed survey and develop recommendations for its conservation and repair. Following the granting of Scheduled Ancient Monument consent, GRAS worked closely with Historic Environment Scotland and specialist conservators to deliver a comprehensive programme of works that secured the building’s long-term future.

The project faced significant logistical challenges due to the remote location, harsh weather, and tidal conditions. Additionally, construction periods were restricted to certain times of the year because the Forth Islands are designated a Special Protection Area. Despite these constraints, a carefully planned schedule of works was completed, including masonry repairs, re-harling, application of limewash, replacement of defective joinery, and the delicate conservation of the armorial panel above the entrance.

The project required a collaborative and well-informed approach involving multiple stakeholders with sometimes competing priorities. Extensive research, meticulous pre-planning, and phased execution were essential to its success, alongside rigorous on-site quality control to ensure the highest standards were maintained throughout the works.

Lerwick Town Hall, a Category A-listed civic building dating from 1883, is the most important public building in Shetland. GRAS was commissioned to deliver an ambitious £1.2 million conservation and repair project focused on safeguarding the building’s nationally significant collection of secular stained glass windows. These windows were designed and created by several leading makers of the late nineteenth century.

Over many years, the stained glass had suffered significant damage from the harsh salt-laden maritime environment. Previous conservation attempts included the application of flexible polycarbonate sheeting to the exterior, but this measure proved insufficient to protect the glass from ongoing deterioration.

To address these challenges, the project adopted the traditional isothermal glazing approach. GRAS, in collaboration with Cannon MacInnes, developed and installed a newly patented non-ferrous isothermal glazing system tailored to the unique technical demands of the building and its environment. This system isolates the historic glass from external conditions while allowing full adjustability and accessibility for future maintenance.

In addition to the glazing improvements, the most severely deteriorated masonry around the window openings was carefully removed and replaced with salt-resistant stone possessing high cohesive strength. This material was selected to ensure enhanced longevity and resilience against the extreme maritime climate.

These technical advancements, combined with the introduction of sensitive interpretation for visitors, have not only opened the building to a wider public but have also increased visitor numbers in the area. The project has significantly improved the long-term prospects of Lerwick Town Hall and strengthened its role as a cultural and architectural landmark in Shetland.

Pause then enter beneath turf canopy, emerge and encounter a panorama at the top of the hill. Turn back on yourself and take shelter for a moment on a bench held by the land and roofed by its fauna.

A contemporary cave, it’s mouth framing the view of Loch Leven and the landscape surrounding.

A woven hollow on the hill’s prow providing time to pause think and observe; still, windless shelter. The calm eye of refuge and outlook in an otherwise exposed landscape.

GRAS were selected to submit proposals for a new lookout and rest stop on the Loch Leven Heritage Trail in Fife. The viewpoint is designed to encourage visitors travelling in either direction to pause to rest, appreciate their surroundings and contemplate their journey. When approached from either direction, it first becomes visible as a dry stone wall edge to the path. As the banks either side of the path rise up, the ground gently falls leading the visitor down into a broch like entrance wide enough for cyclists and pedestrians to pass. Timbers laid across the path heighten the senses and advise cyclists to slow or dismount on approach. As the path descends into an enclosed passage, the distant view is obscured and the eye is drawn to the textures of the stone walls and wall-growing fauna either side and the timber framed earth roof overhead. A 180 degree turn in the passage brings the visitor to a cavernous, sheltered space with a large single aperture cut from the undulating roof to frame the distant view with a ribbon of timber. Here visitors can sit on a long bench beneath a cantilevered roof and admire the panoramic view or interpret their surroundings with the pictograms and text etched into the timber ribbon running the full perimeter of the aperture. The space is large enough to hold a small group but small enough to feel intimate with one or two people. The nature of the two paths meeting in a sheltered space encourages visitors to engage with one another.

The viewpoint is located on a natural slope, which is dug away to form the enclosing space. Drystone retaining walls form the vertical edges while a timber frame supports the wild, grassy landscape which runs over the top of the enclosure. On one side the ground plane rises to form a covered space while on the other side it drops, to reveal the view and bring the small scale flora and fauna to a height where they can be easily viewed alongside the accompanying interpretative information.

The form is principally derived by the fold in the path and the natural fall in the landscape, but is inspired by ancient Scottish forms of construction such as Holms and Brochs and later blackhouses and crofts. Its organic, sinuous form references natural forms of construction such as cocoons and the weaver birds nest to create an organic enclosure, appropriate for peaceful contemplation.

In 2017, GRAS was invited by RIBA and Hull City Council to submit an expression of interest for the creation of an ambitious and bold temporary outdoor structure in Hull city centre. The resulting installation, launched in August 2017, was designed around four core principles: collaboration, purpose, response to context, and materiality.

The North Ship proposal celebrates Hull’s collective cultural identity, acknowledging its rich history as a major trading hub, fishing and whaling port, and industrial city. This project reflects on these layered histories at a pivotal moment for the city, while also envisioning a future shaped by cultural renewal in a post-industrial era.

Development of the proposal involved close collaboration with the artist collective ~in the fields, based on Scotland’s west coast. Their work focuses on natural phenomena and captures poetic moments within autonomous, cocoon-like systems. Drawing inspiration from archival materials, environmental themes, and ephemeral artifacts such as lost cinematic forms, their installations are modular in appearance, responsive to their surroundings, and frequently powered by solar energy.

Together, GRAS and ~in the fields crafted a structure that resonates with Hull’s heritage while projecting an imaginative vision for its cultural future.

GRAS created the central stand for the inaugural Scotland: Craft & Design pavilion, which celebrated the best in Scottish contemporary craft at London Design Fair 2016. Working to a brief set by our clients, Craft Scotland and community interest group Emergents, we produced a monolithic display element that showcased the work of 22 emerging and established designers and makers from across Scotland. The custom-made stand immediately attracted the attention of visitors to the exhibition, with its physical mass and integrated lighting drawing people towards the centre of the space and encouraging them to explore the various works on show.

Craigmillar Community Arts Centre is a category B-Listed former church in the West of Edinburgh. With the help of Big Lottery funding, the charity’s aim was to re-engage with the local community, providing an arts and community hub for the area. GRAS worked closely with CCA to focus on creating a more practical building, with a significant architectural intervention, including a new mezzanine, upgraded kitchen and WC facilities and improved accessibility throughout.

Dating from 1819 and Category ‘A’-Listed, Sumburgh Head Lighthouse was designed by the famous Scottish engineer, Robert Stevenson, and is recognised as one of the country’s finest industrial heritage buildings. The project involved the conservation, repair and adaptation of the complex of lighthouse buildings to create a first class ‘destination’ visitor attraction. The development includes a visitor centre focusing on the wildlife and unique history of the site, as well as a holiday and visitor accommodation and offices for the RSPB, all with improved access and parking. The collection of existing buildings, by their nature, turn their back on the harsh elements and huddle together as an inward looking group providing little opportunity to truly experience the place in anything but good weather. Newly-created space offers a sense of setting by allowing the maximum view and experience of the dramatic surroundings from a warm and dry space, regardless of the weather.

Drawing inspiration from existing WWII structures on and around the site, the education centre comprises of a 180° curved glass frontage to a newly formed concrete ‘bunker’, perched on the cliff edge, providing uninterrupted panoramic views from Bressay to Fair Isle. A ground source heat pump was installed to provide heating to the entire site and an array of solar panels contributes a significant portion of its energy requirements. Funding for the project was provided by the RSPB, Historic Scotland Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Government, Wolfson Foundation and the Shetland Development Trust. The Sumburgh Head Lighthouse project has received several awards and commendations, including Shetland Environmental Award 2014 Special Mention of the Jury in the Europa Nostra Awards 2016, Commendation in the Civic Trust Awards 2015, in the Conservation category, Highly commended in the Placemaking Awards 2015 for Best Use of Heritage in Placemaking.

Although currently offering limited facilities, the Scatness archaeological site attracts over 8,000 visitors annually. As the site’s popularity grows, there is an increasing recognition of the need to both consolidate and protect the archaeology and provide permanent interpretive and visitor facilities.

This proposal aims to create a distinctive heritage destination and first-class visitor attraction where the archaeological remains are fully enclosed and safeguarded. The design allows visitors to engage directly with the process of discovery, offering a unique opportunity to witness history being unearthed and interpreted within a carefully controlled environment.

This shortlisted proposal for a new Scottish national donor memorial was developed for a site within the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Conceived as a place of reflection and quiet gathering, the design responds to the significance of organ and tissue donation through form, material and landscape.

The proposal centred on the use of woven reinforcement bar, a material typically associated with the early stages of construction. Here, it was reinterpreted through a craft-based approach, borrowing techniques from traditional willow fencing to form curved, interlaced walls. These gently rise from the ground to create a sheltered, open-ended enclosure for seating and contemplation.

At the point where the woven rebar meets and binds together, the metal would be gilded to mark the profound moment of connection and generosity the memorial seeks to honour. Within the space, a simple oak bench is supported by the curved metal structure, offering a quiet place to pause. The lower edges of the walls extend into the landscape to form shallow planted terraces, gradually transitioning into the wider garden context.

Planting and surface materials were developed in dialogue with the horticultural team at the Botanic Garden, ensuring that the proposal was both ecologically appropriate and visually integrated. The scheme was presented to a working group composed of donor families and recipients, whose reflections informed its ongoing refinement.

This project sought to express a sense of quiet strength, using modest materials and a simple architectural language to create a meaningful and enduring place of remembrance.

Lissan Demesne, Cookstown, is an estate owned by a charity for the benefit of the local community. When GRAS became involved, the whole property was in poor repair after decades of declining fortunes. Following a Feasibility Study, GRAS completed emergency repairs at Lissan House and a Conservation Management Plan of the estate. Major phase 1 works then followed, involving external restoration and internal upgrading of the house, improvements to access and parking, construction of an adventure play area, and collaboration with an external consultant to provide discreet interpretation. GRAS worked with key stakeholders to retain Lissan’s character as a unique family home and provide visitors with an insight into the history of its occupants. Phase 2  works, for the repair and conversion of the adjacent outbuildings to form further visitor facilities will recommence when funding becomes available.

The Galleria Temporanea, or Transient Gallery, formed part of Scotland’s contribution to the International Architecture Exhibition during the Venice Biennale in 2012. The mobile pop-up gallery explored the significance of everyday functional objects that create or enhance a sense of collective identity across the communities that use them. It presented these often forgotten or overlooked artefacts in a gallery-like environment to celebrate their history and encourage debate on the relevance of such shared functional objects in past, present and future communities.

Often operating without official consents, the gallery was erected in minutes and remained in situ for approximately one hour in each location, before being dismantled as quickly as it arrived. The project was made possible through extensive experimentation and collaboration with artist Tim Taylor, along with joiners, stone masons and fabricators whose expertise contributed significantly to the outcome. The project was delivered on a very low budget and was built, transported and erected by GRAS in various locations in Venice, before returning to Scotland for use during events in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In Venice, the Galleria Temporanea was installed around the disused wells that dot the city, temporarily isolating, framing and objectifying them as important works of architecture. The design responded to the Biennale’s theme of ‘Common Ground’ which invited architects to reflect on “continuity, context and memory” in the discipline of architecture. The gallery consisted of several interlocking panels featuring an outer surface made from rough, hand-carved polystyrene. The heat-sealed polystyrene evoked the aged surfaces of the stone wells and the walls were topped with a smooth upper course into which the project’s title was carved in a capitalised Roman-style font.

Pitsligo Castle is a scheduled ancient monument and a category ‘A’ listed building. It consists of a large roofless courtyard castle dating mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries, set in approximately four acres of grounds within which is a walled garden and woodlands. The castle has been largely ruinous for a great many years now and although some consolidation and stabilisation works were undertaken in the late 1980s much of it remains in a parlous condition. GRAS were first appointed by the Pitsligo Castle Trust in 2004 to prepare a Conservation Plan on both the castle and the nearby Peathill Kirk, with which it has close historical associations.

Following the offer of a generous repairs grant from Historic Scotland, we were appointed by the Trust in 2009 to implement the first phase of a carefully prioritised programme of repair and consolidation works. These works comprised the removal of corroded shoring, scaffolding and heavy vegetation growth, the installation of new support structures, extensive masonry repairs and selective repointing works. Further phases of repairs are planned in the future subject to funding.

Brough Lodge, Fetlar, is undergoing a phased restoration project, orchestrated by the Brough Lodge Trust. Built in 1825, this highly unusual category A-listed gothic mansion has lain empty and unused in a very exposed environment since the 1980’s and has a great many conservation needs. The aim is to restore and creatively re-use the building as a mixed-use commercial venue, focusing on hosting short courses and activities involving the arts and environmental themes.

Brough Lodge will benefit the local community by maximising the potential for development of the tourist market, expanding knowledge and understanding of Fetlar’s cultural background and creating new jobs and economic diversification: essential to the island’s long-term survival and future development. The first phase of carefully prioritised conservation and repair works was completed in 2016 with generous funding from Historic Environment Scotland and Shetland Amenity Trust.

The category A-listed former Dowanhill Church was built in 1865 with interiors and stained glass by Daniel Cottier. The building is owned by a charitable trust, FACT, whose aim is to advance the arts and heritage for the benefit of the local community. GRAS has worked over many years with FACT to convert this church in Glasgow’s West End into a sustainable and vibrant theatre, arts and wedding venue, restaurant and bar.

An initial priority was to carry out urgent repairs and follow these up, as grant funds became available, with full conservation repairs. The timing of the later repairs has had to be balanced with adaptations to the building to enable sustainable uses to emerge combining commercial activities with cultural uses. We have also had to find creative solutions to meet statutory safety standards without compromising the character and original fabric of the building. This involved creating a bar and restaurant in the smaller building, thus generating an income stream capable of supporting funding applications for the repair and upgrading of the main building. Afterwards, comprehensive repair of the external fabric was undertaken. This was then followed by a major engineering project to create a basement below the auditorium, expanding the useable floor area as well as improving functionality and operational needs. Conservation phases have included restoration of the original decorative scheme and the fine Willis organ.

Arguably the finest ecclesiastical building in Shetland, the Category B listed St Magnus Church was designed by Alexander Ellis of Aberdeen and constructed between 1863 and 1864. The bell tower was added in 1899 by Inverness architect Alexander Ross. The church is primarily styled in the early pointed Gothic tradition, with detailing that reflects the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement, especially evident in the design of the tower.

Inside, the building boasts a range of distinguished features, including an open timber roof supported by scissor trusses spanning the nave. The church also houses a remarkable collection of stained glass windows created by the renowned architect and designer Sir Ninian Comper.

Following a successful grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland, GRAS was appointed to oversee a comprehensive programme of internal and external repairs. This included major structural work to the tower, complete re-roofing, and extensive conservation of stone masonry, stained glass, and internal finishes. The project was delivered with care and expertise, ensuring the long-term preservation of this significant architectural and cultural landmark.

GRAS were invited to design the SIX awards and exhibition which features the best work from the future stars of Scottish architecture. It showcases young talent and offers a rare opportunity to see work from all six of Scotland’s schools of architecture together. The SIX 07 exhibition aims to give a sense of importance and permanence to the student work through the use of digital media and by referencing to protective archiving systems. Where traditionally student work is presented on gallery walls, each school’s work is presented centrally within six polished storage units. Images of the work are projected in an interactive format on top of the units with hard ‘archived’ copies of the work stored in six sliding drawers.

The pieces are intended to be highly interactive and their positioning in the centre of the gallery encourages interaction and discussion between audience members. Each box can be dismantled into a series of components suitable for transport to the six schools of architecture throughout Scotland. The exhibition was commended in the Best Exhibition category at the Scottish Design Awards in 2008.
Photography by Andri Haflidason.

This project involved the careful repair and conversion of a derelict listed eighteenth-century cottage located adjacent to Cameron Toll shopping mall and car park. The cottage holds historical significance as the childhood home of Arthur Conan Doyle. It was gifted to the Cockburn Conservation Trust, who commissioned GRAS to conserve the building fabric and adapt the house for use by Dunedin School, a charity dedicated to educating pupils with additional support needs.

The work focused on preserving the original materials and architectural features while sensitively upgrading the building to provide a functional learning environment. Repairs included masonry consolidation, timber repairs, and careful attention to internal finishes, ensuring the character of the cottage was maintained throughout.

Funding for the project was provided in part by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the City of Edinburgh Council, and fundraising efforts by Dunedin School. The completed project offers a valuable community resource while safeguarding an important element of Edinburgh’s architectural and cultural heritage.

Hay’s Dock forms part of the Shetland Museum and Archive in Lerwick and is one of the most significant surviving elements of Shetland’s maritime infrastructure. Constructed in 1815 by the trading firm Hay and Ogilvy, the dock represents a rare and early example of industrial harbour engineering in the Northern Isles.

The project involved the repair and conservation of the dock basin, the timber finger pier, surrounding quayside, and the adjoining nineteenth-century boat-building shed. As the oldest surviving man-made dock in Shetland, the works required a careful balance of technical repair and heritage sensitivity. Traditional materials and methods were used throughout, including lime-based mortars, timber carpentry and hand-forged wrought iron fixings, ensuring compatibility with the original fabric and long-term durability in the exposed coastal environment.

The conservation of the boat shed and dock infrastructure formed an integral part of the wider Shetland Museum development, re-establishing Hay’s Dock as a working waterfront and a focal point for education, boatbuilding and cultural events. The project was delivered with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, Shetland Islands Council and other stakeholders, reflecting its regional importance and the collective effort to preserve Shetland’s maritime heritage.

Today, Hay’s Dock continues to serve as both a functional harbour and a public space, linking past and present through active use and careful stewardship.

The Category A-listed Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen is one of Scotland’s most significant and oldest ecclesiastical buildings. The Open Space Trust, a local charity, aims to develop a visionary project that reconnects the former East Kirk with the heart of Aberdeen and provides a versatile public space for the city’s residents.

GRAS has collaborated with the Trust over several years to prepare for a comprehensive scheme to reconfigure the interior of the historic church, enabling a range of new occupants and uses. Prior to any physical works, an extensive study and internal archaeological investigation were carried out. This work revealed remarkable insights into the building’s history, including the discovery and careful excavation of numerous burial sites within the church.

Following these investigations, an initial phase of external repairs and conservation was undertaken to stabilise the building’s fabric. This involved replacing inadequate roof slating with a new lead sheet covering, extensive treatment of dry rot, and the careful repair and replacement of all stained and leaded glass panels and their associated tracery stonework. Repairs were also made to the granite stonework, pointing, and cast-iron elements to ensure the structural integrity and longevity of the building.

GRAS is currently engaged in the design and creation of an internal crypt to house the reinterred remains excavated during the archaeological works. Additional projects include the relocation and replacement of the heating plant to the church’s steeple. Meanwhile, GRAS is working closely with Aberdeen City Council and other stakeholders on funding applications and consultations to support a major future refurbishment and reconfiguration of the entire East Kirk.

The project exemplifies a careful balance of heritage conservation, archaeological sensitivity, and thoughtful adaptation to create a living, meaningful space for the community.

The Eric Liddell Centre was a competition winning entry for the conservation and conversion of the redundant B-listed North Morningside Parish Church into a local community centre founded in memory of the Olympic gold medallist. The owners are a care charity, set up by the four congregations of the local churches, who work to provide alternative services to vulnerable people including those with dementia.

The project involved a radical intervention within the protected church nave to provide the required accommodation; creatively inserting a bold new structure within the existing building to create a reception, café, offices and flexible new rooms and suites that are available to hire to generate income and therefore ensure the project’s long-term future. GRAS and the structural engineers collaborated closely on this significant intervention, which additionally allows for closer enjoyment of the fine William Wilson stained glass windows, to ensure that the external shell of the building and the local conservation area remained unaffected by the development. All of the existing fabric of the building, including the glazing, was also carefully conserved and repaired as part of the grant-funded works. This marriage of imaginative reuse, conservation and upgrading has created a successful community hub that is welcoming, practical to manage and sustainable.  

St Andrew’s Church in the East end of Glasgow is of immense architectural significance, having been designed in 1739 by the architect Allan Dreghorn and built by the master mason Mungo Naismith. It is considered one of the best classical revival churches in Britain and is A-listed. Glasgow Building Preservation Trust’s main aim was to restore the church to its former glory but in order to make it sustainable, additional facilities were needed. As the church sits on an island site at the centre of St. Andrews Square, no additional structure could be added. Thus the bold decision was taken to excavate under the existing building to achieve the space required.

The Church was opened to the public on St Andrew’s Day, 30th of November 2000, as a centre for traditional Scottish music, song and dance. St Andrew’s Church was awarded the Dynamic Place Award in 2001, Europa Nostra Diploma in 2001, Glasgow Institute of Architects President’s Choice Design Award in 2001, Civic Trust Award in 2002. and RICS award in 2003.

The Traverse Theatre, founded in Edinburgh in 1963, has long been recognised as a pioneering force in contemporary Scottish drama. Its early relocation to the Grassmarket in 1969 presented a unique opportunity for GRAS to craft a bespoke flexible seating system tailored specifically to the evolving needs of experimental theatre. This early intervention demonstrated a commitment to adaptable design that respects both performance and audience experience.

When the Traverse moved to Saltire Court in 1992, GRAS revisited and refined its approach. The studio theatre incorporated a modified version of the original seating, maintaining intimacy and versatility, while a wholly new system was engineered for the larger 350-seat auditorium. This innovative solution allowed the space to transform fluidly and support diverse staging configurations while fostering closer connections between actors and audience. The seating became an architectural element in its own right, carefully considered, functional, and integral to the theatre’s creative ethos.

Beyond the performance spaces, the Traverse’s award-winning bar has become a cultural landmark in Edinburgh’s city centre. It offers a vibrant gathering place where artists, audiences, and communities intersect. Together, the architecture and interiors articulate a layered narrative of innovation, collaboration, and place-making that continues to shape Edinburgh’s cultural identity.

The project exemplifies how careful design can both enable artistic expression and enrich the public realm, reaffirming the Traverse Theatre’s role as a vital wellspring of Scottish theatre.

In 1990, Nicholas Groves-Raines and Alan Murray, working in collaboration with artist Alan Johnston, were selected to represent Scotland in an international exhibition held in Friesland, the Netherlands.

The brief brought together architects and artists from across Northern and Nordic Europe. Each national team was invited to design an autonomous pavilion that explored the relationship between architecture and art. The curators posed a complex question: “Develop and present an environment in which a personal, architecture creates the optimal ambiance for an equally personal art or develop a process of collaboration in which the two disciplines find expression in a fully integrated work of art.”

The Scottish pavilion balanced restraint with clarity. Johnston’s drawn interventions were set within a calm and carefully proportioned architectural frame. Rather than merging disciplines, the pavilion allowed both art and architecture to remain distinct while closely attuned to one another. It created a contemplative space that invited focus and reflection. This early project shaped an ongoing interest in interdisciplinary work and the potential for built form to express meaning through atmosphere, context and material precision.

The listed three-storey eighteenth-century Castle Hotel in Stirling is situated on the cliff edge beside the castle’s esplanade. In 1971, the building was converted into the Landmark Interpretation Centre, a facility dedicated to Scottish history. Given the dilapidated condition of the former hotel, a bold and contemporary architectural approach was required to signal its new purpose.

State-of-the-art materials and construction techniques were employed to create a new foyer, a ramped exhibition space, and a panoramic auditorium. These modern interventions introduced a fresh spatial experience while respecting the historic structure. A distinctive feature of the project is the addition of three replacement ‘capsule’ bay windows. These new bays provide expansive panoramic views across the surrounding landscape, visually connecting visitors to the region’s heritage.

The project successfully balanced the building’s historic significance with a forward-looking design language, enabling the Castle Hotel to be reimagined as a vibrant cultural destination.