Wordsworth
Client
Private Client
Location
Grasmere, Lake District
Sector
Leisure
The Challenge
Located in the heart of Grasmere, within the Lake District National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the site presented a unique set of design and planning constraints. The existing Wordsworth Hotel holds significant local heritage value, demanding a highly sensitive approach to development that would preserve the historic character of both the building and the surrounding village.
Design challenges centred on architectural continuity, visual impact, and contextual sensitivity. Particular care was needed to ensure that any new structure respected the scale, materiality, and rhythm of the original hotel and the wider village setting, while responding to conservation area policies and local planning expectations.
James Grant
Associate Director
James Grant
Associate Director
James brings extensive experience across architecture, interior design, and commercial fitout, combining creative vision with strong commercial understanding. Before joining Aitken Turnbull, he was a Director at Steelcase in Australia, delivering workspace strategies for clients such as Deloitte, NAB, KPMG, and ANZ, and working closely with universities including Melbourne, RMIT, and UNSW. Earlier, he led workplace and education projects in practices across Melbourne, London, and Newcastle. As Workspace Sector Lead at Aitken Turnbull, James provides strategic direction and builds strong, long-term client relationships. He plays a key role in managing partnerships with major clients including Lloyds Banking Group and Wates, while promoting a collaborative, thoughtful, and innovative approach across the studio.
Callum Ford
Associate & Technical Lead
Callum Ford
Associate & Technical Lead
As an experienced Architectural Technician, Callum combines strong technical knowledge with a practical, hands-on approach at Aitken Turnbull. Starting as a trainee while studying Architectural Technology at Edinburgh Napier University, he has built up experience across housing, bespoke homes, non-domestic buildings, and fit-out projects. Involved from early design through to completion, Callum specialises in BIM and clear, accurate project delivery. His skills in 3D visualisation also help bring designs to life and support effective communication with clients and teams. Approachable and down-to-earth, he ensures projects run smoothly and efficiently from start to finish.
Our Approach
Working in close collaboration with the client and project stakeholders, we developed a carefully considered scheme to redevelop the hotel’s staff accommodation site. The proposal introduces 16 new guest bedrooms and upgraded facilities—ranging from flexible event spaces to improved guest amenities—while enhancing the operational capacity of the hotel.
To mitigate impact, the new building is broken down into smaller volumes, maintaining the village’s fine-grained character. Design elements draw from the established hotel architecture, ensuring seamless integration with the site. Staff accommodation is sensitively relocated nearby to a new facility, offering improved living standards and continued operational proximity.
The Solution
Through a thoughtful, site-specific response rooted in conservation principles and long-term viability, planning approval was successfully secured. The design balances sensitivity to local heritage with strategic enhancement of the hotel’s offer—enabling growth while preserving the intimate character and historic significance of this treasured location.
James Grant
Associate Director
James brings extensive experience across architecture, interior design, and commercial fitout, combining creative vision with strong commercial understanding. Before joining Aitken Turnbull, he was a Director at Steelcase in Australia, delivering workspace strategies for clients such as Deloitte, NAB, KPMG, and ANZ, and working closely with universities including Melbourne, RMIT, and UNSW. Earlier, he led workplace and education projects in practices across Melbourne, London, and Newcastle. As Workspace Sector Lead at Aitken Turnbull, James provides strategic direction and builds strong, long-term client relationships. He plays a key role in managing partnerships with major clients including Lloyds Banking Group and Wates, while promoting a collaborative, thoughtful, and innovative approach across the studio.
James Grant
Associate Director
James brings extensive experience across architecture, interior design, and commercial fitout, combining creative vision with strong commercial understanding. Before joining Aitken Turnbull, he was a Director at Steelcase in Australia, delivering workspace strategies for clients such as Deloitte, NAB, KPMG, and ANZ, and working closely with universities including Melbourne, RMIT, and UNSW. Earlier, he led workplace and education projects in practices across Melbourne, London, and Newcastle. As Workspace Sector Lead at Aitken Turnbull, James provides strategic direction and builds strong, long-term client relationships. He plays a key role in managing partnerships with major clients including Lloyds Banking Group and Wates, while promoting a collaborative, thoughtful, and innovative approach across the studio.
Callum Ford
Associate & Technical Lead
As an experienced Architectural Technician, Callum combines strong technical knowledge with a practical, hands-on approach at Aitken Turnbull. Starting as a trainee while studying Architectural Technology at Edinburgh Napier University, he has built up experience across housing, bespoke homes, non-domestic buildings, and fit-out projects. Involved from early design through to completion, Callum specialises in BIM and clear, accurate project delivery. His skills in 3D visualisation also help bring designs to life and support effective communication with clients and teams. Approachable and down-to-earth, he ensures projects run smoothly and efficiently from start to finish.
Callum Ford
Associate & Technical Lead
As an experienced Architectural Technician, Callum combines strong technical knowledge with a practical, hands-on approach at Aitken Turnbull. Starting as a trainee while studying Architectural Technology at Edinburgh Napier University, he has built up experience across housing, bespoke homes, non-domestic buildings, and fit-out projects. Involved from early design through to completion, Callum specialises in BIM and clear, accurate project delivery. His skills in 3D visualisation also help bring designs to life and support effective communication with clients and teams. Approachable and down-to-earth, he ensures projects run smoothly and efficiently from start to finish.
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