Mackenzie Wheeler announces the creation of two major new hotel projects in Yorkshire.

30 Jan 2009

The practice has gained planning permission for two landmark schemes that will provide much needed luxury accommodation in the hotel sector for the county. The first is a brand new guest wing and a spa building for the historic Rudding Park hotel near Harrogate. This will almost double the size of the hotel, which is set in rolling grounds created by 18th century landscape designer Humphry Repton. In complete contrast, permission has been granted for the conversion of the former North East Railway Company offices in the centre of York. Mackenzie Wheeler’s design will transform the neglected office building into the city’s first five star hotel.

Experience in luxury
Mackenzie Wheeler has worked in hotel and spa resort design for over 15 years, advising on areas as varied as architecture and master planning, environmental, interior and spa design.

The practice’s first spa project came in the 1990’s with Wheway Lifestyle International at the Ritz Carlton, Dubai. Recent hotel and spa work has seen Mackenzie Wheeler work as far-a-field as Cuba, Sardinia, Morocco and Jordan as well as within the UK on a variety of new build and heritage projects including the Rajvilas Spa in Jaipur, Champneys Springs in Leicestershire and the Lakeside Spa at Botleigh Grange.

Rudding Park



At Rudding Park, Mackenzie Wheeler has designed a new wing of 34 guestrooms and suites that will adjoin the existing Grade 1 listed country house hotel via a glazed atrium. The three storey wing is designed to compliment the existing buildings on the site. In contrast, the spa building is contemporary in design, bringing an exciting new architectural element to the 107 hectare hotel grounds.

The scale of the new buildings is influenced by the existing hotel and both feature Cadeby Stone cladding that unifies all buildings within the hotel complex. While the new guest wing emulates the existing buildings in terms of height, roof configuration, parapet line and elevation treatment, the concept of creating new elements within a strong contemporary landscape design has enabled Mackenzie Wheeler to create a spa facility that both compliments and contrasts the existing hotel.

The spa features a sedum roof and extensive terracing, non-reflective structural glazing and Cadeby Stone cladding, with timber louvers, columns and cladding features. “The design achieves a balanced composition of respectful guest wing and transparent spa, with a preference for new garden concepts over building forms, enabling us to juxtapose historic and contemporary aspirations without conflict,” says Duncan Mackenzie. “The new buildings, by virtue of location, landform and landscaping are not particularly visible in the first instance. The new entry sequence adds a sense of discovery when guests come upon the contemporary spa building in this otherwise historic setting.”

The Spa will serve both hotel guests and club members, not least of all with a new restaurant that provides additional dining options for residents and visitors. The complex features infinity and roof level pools, thermal suites and a range of treatment facilities with a new courtyard garden on a ‘woodland glade’ theme, extending the adjacent 50’s landscape design.

North Eastern Railway Company Offices conversion



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