Nestled in the historic heart of London, United Kingdom, the newly reimagined Club Quarters Hotel St Paul’s represents a bold step forward for both the Club Quarters brand and the city’s hospitality design scene. Designed by architecture practice Holloway Li, the project pays homage to the building’s post-war modernist heritage while introducing a fresh identity through a series of carefully considered interventions. From a sculptural cherry-wood feature wall in the lobby to a dynamic club living room designed for both work and leisure, the interior design seamlessly blends timeless details with contemporary functionality. Key additions such as a co-working space, coffee shop and versatile guest rooms highlight a design ethos focused on adaptability, elegance and lasting impact.

In a conversation with STIR, Alex Holloway, co-founder and creative director of Holloway Li, and Carrie Coningsby, senior designer at Holloway Li, delve into the design process behind this vibrant project—the first of four hotel designs they are crafting for Club Quarters across London and the United States. The duo reflect on how they infused the hotel with crafted textures, contextual narratives and a spirit of post-war optimism. From bespoke collaborations with local artisans to architectural reinterpretations that honour the building’s past, the offerings reveal the layered thinking underpinning the transformation. The following are edited excerpts from the dialogue.

Anushka Sharma: What was your initial vision for Club Quarters' iconic St Paul’s location?

Alex Holloway: Our vision was to sensitively restore and reimagine the property in a way that would celebrate its post-war architectural character while crafting an experience that felt contemporary, functional and quietly elevated. We wanted to stay true to Club Quarters’ ethos of offering intelligent, design-forward hospitality interiors, while ensuring the new design was rooted in a strong sense of place—one that could connect meaningfully with the cultural and architectural context of St Paul’s.

Anushka: How do the new spatial interventions respond to the original mid-century architecture? Did you take cues from the structure for the redesign? Do you think the influence supersedes the visual to perhaps venture into the spatial?

Carrie Coningsby: Absolutely. We were very conscious not to impose an entirely new identity onto the building, but rather to draw cues from its exterior and express them in a contemporary language through its interior. The existing proportions and robust geometry informed how we approached the layout and finishes. For example, the modularity of the original façade and the rhythmic repetition of its Portland Stone reliefs influenced the design of the sculpted cherry-wood feature wall in the lobby. Beyond the visual impact of our interventions, the redesign has brought spatial clarity and order to the ground floor, echoing the calm rationality that characterises mid-century design.

Anushka: The use of colour appears to be central to the redesign project. What guided the final colour palette that now adorns the spaces?

Carrie: Colour was instrumental in injecting warmth and atmosphere. We worked with a colour palette inspired by the optimistic spirit of the post-war period—deep cherry woods, bottle greens, soft blues and rich bronze tones are accented with pops of brighter reds and oranges. We wanted to help soften some of the more functional elements of the interior and create a subtle sense of transition from day to night, especially in the shared lounge and co-working areas.

Anushka: Were there any specific characteristics you sought in furniture and lighting pieces for the hotel? Did you collaborate with designers with a shared creative language?

Alex: We were drawn to pieces that balanced robustness and refinement, and furniture design that had a sculptural quality, but also the durability required in a high-footfall hospitality environment. We collaborated with lighting designer Joe Armitage, whose work sits beautifully between tradition and innovation. The pendant light in the lobby was digitally modelled with a fluid, cloud-like form, then realised in collaboration with Joe to sit as a dramatic centrepiece. Similarly, the custom desk lamps in the guestrooms are inspired by his grandfather Edward Armitage’s mid-century floor lamp, creating a subtle link between the past and the present.

Anushka: How does the selection of artworks complement the interior themes? Were there instances where an artwork led the overall concept of a space?

Carrie: The artwork was curated to bring in a local and slightly unexpected narrative. We commissioned London-based artist Phoebe Boddy to create bespoke canvases that riff on the idea of orange trees, inspired by a small grove unexpectedly found in the grounds of St Paul’s Cathedral. These pieces added a touch of wit and vibrancy to the lobby. In the guestrooms, Paolozzi prints connect back to post-war optimism and the graphic, experimental energy of that era. We think of art not as an afterthought but as something that can lead tone and texture—and in this case, it helped root the project in its surroundings. We also made the conscious decision to treat materials as art in themselves: for example, the four inset oak-framed arrays of handmade tiles behind the reception counter act as a kind of curated mural. Each tile was selected for its glaze, pattern or relief—offering a moment of colour, craft and tactility that reads as artwork in its own right.

Anushka: Is your approach to redesigning different from that of designing a new project? In this case, how do you balance your creative voice with the iconicity of the building?

Alex: Redesigns are always more like a dialogue with the existing building and its context and limitations. You have to listen carefully to what the building is telling you. In this case, we embraced the inherent proportions, then layered our creative voice through materiality, detailing and spatial rhythm. It is not about erasure, it is about amplification. The most satisfying projects are those where our interventions feel like a natural continuation of what was already there.

Anushka: Were there considerations you made in terms of sustainability in the process and realisation of the project?

Alex: Yes, we always try to retain as much of the existing structure and built fabric as possible. Here, we retained much of the existing internal layout, making selective, surgical interventions to elevate the space without unnecessary waste. Our approach to materials was also mindful, working with local artisans and durable natural materials like cherry wood and natural stone, which are built to last and gracefully patinate over time.

Anushka: Does mid-century modern architecture have ramifications beyond legacy and aesthetics? Is there a role it plays in the project beyond a stylistic nod?

Carrie: Definitely. For us, it represents optimism, clarity of thought and a belief in the relationship between form and function. These values guided our process from beginning to end. The building’s post-war bones gave us a strong foundation to work with, but it was the spirit of that era—its belief in progress and accessible design—that we tried to carry through into the guest experience.