KIMPTON FITZROY (FORMELY THE Russell Hotel)

Darwen Terracotta was appointed to carry out the terracotta restoration of the Kimpton Fitzroy (formerly the Russell Hotel), the Grade II listed hotel on Russell Square, Bloomsbury — one of London's most ornate Victorian landmarks.

Originally designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll and completed in 1898, the building is distinctively clad in decorative thé-au-lait ("tea with milk") terracotta across its entire facade, including intricate mouldings, decorative detailing and the four sculpted Queens that guard its entrance. Over the decades, successive interventions had taken their toll on the building's fabric, and the terracotta — though structurally significant and highly decorative — was in need of comprehensive attention.

Working under EPR Architects as lead designer, we undertook the extensive restoration of the building's terracotta cladding, reinstating elements where damage could not be reversed in situ. Our work was integral to returning the facade to the character and richness originally intended by Doll, preserving the building's listed status and ensuring its distinctive appearance endures for future generations.

The hotel reopened as The Principal London in 2018 before being rebranded as the Kimpton Fitzroy, and has been restored to the five-star grandeur for which it was always intended.