Plans submitted for BHS Princes Street store conversion

Comprehensive Design Architects’ plan for LaSalle Investment Management, will also include the demolition of an extension to the building on Rose Street dating from the 1970s.

That will be done to allow provision of new building connected to the existing store by way of new bridge connections over Rose Street South Lane.

Faced in buff stone, standing seam copper and white glazed brick this will allow entrance to a 137-bed rooftop hotel and restaurants offering panoramic views over the Old and New Towns, dragging redundant upper floors back into use whilst preserving the ground floor retail space.

As part of this work the upper level of the BHS store will also be remodeled to allow creation of a raised ‘crown’ housing the rooftop restaurant.

In their design statement CDA said: “The significance of the Princes Street elevation and the high standard of architecture informed our approach for the redevelopment. The proportions, materiality and quality of detailing is an integral part of the building’s listing. It was understood at an early stage that it was important to retain as much of the existing building as was practically possible with any intervention proposed detailed to sit comfortably and read as part of the existing building.

“When designing the proposal to ‘lift’ the top storey it was considered important not to alter the characteristics set out within the original design. Maintaining the low-level roofline and positioning the extent of the top storey to stop it from becoming visible from street level were all integral to the development of the design.”

The new roofline will include a ‘modern interpretation of the dormer window’ together with a recessed roof line giving prominence to the vertical windows.

View the plans here