Stone-Ideas.com 
Brown’s of Leith in Edinburgh captures the contemporary spirit of the times: the site formerly housed the George Brown & Sons Engineering Works and has, for several years, been repurposed as a hub for “eating, drinking, and pausing” – as described in the project documentation.
The allure of such sites lies in the blend of past and present – a phenomenon found all over the world. What caught our eye in this project was the bar in one of the restaurants: it features simple masonry construction made from stone bricks with significant imperfections, such as chipped corners.
The designers at Groves-Raines Architects Studios (GRAS) explained the concept behind it: “Stone does not need to be reintroduced. It needs to be re-learned.” The company has five decades of repairing and stewarding some of Scotland’s most significant listed buildings.
The stone bricks were supplied by Hutton Stone from their quarry – source of Darney sandstone – located in Northumberland, right on the Scottish border.
Leith was once an industrial hub north of the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, named after the river that flows through it. In the 18th century, it was a thriving commercial center with port facilities where large sailing ships would dock to unload raw materials and goods such as wool, wine, and spices. It became a district of Edinburgh in 1920.
The area’s more than 130 years old industrial facilities are now being gradually transformed for new uses. At Brown’s of Leith, the ground floor beneath the original gantry cranes houses bars and restaurants, while the floor above is home to textile studios and jewelers dedicated to keeping traditional craftsmanship alive. Plans are also in place to introduce art spaces later on.
Local attractions in Leith include the Royal Yacht “Britannia,” which is permanently moored there and open to visitors. The Port of Leith Distillery is also an attraction: the building itself is extraordinary, and inside, visitors can learn a great deal about whisky production. The “Visit Scotland” website also highlights the Water of Leith Walkway along the river, Trinity House, and the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.
Groves-Raines Architects Studios
Photos: Richard Gaston / Paula Szturc