The Edwardian Manchester

Occupying the Free Trade Hall -- Manchester’s most celebrated building -- the Edwardian Hotel is the guardian of a grade II listed icon that has played an integral role in UK’s history. Constructed on the site of the Peterloo Massacre, the building is steeped in political and cultural history. Many household names have either spoken or performed at the building, from Christabel Pankhurst, Charles Dickens, and Winston Churchill to Bob Dylan, The Sex Pistols, Billie Holiday, Abba, and Blondie. Through the curation, we wanted to embody the sense of community, modernity, and union that the hotel represents.

We responded to the elegant interiors curated by Assouline, a space designed for relaxed dinners, afternoon tea and signature cocktails. The chosen collection celebrates the architectural heritage of the building and aligns with the nature-inspired wallpaper and views of trees seen through the floor to ceiling windows. Pieces by contemporary artist Maria Rivans, a mashup of Hollywood heroines and organic forms, perfectly complements the space.

We elevated the experience by creating an artist catalog; our artistic homage to the physical collection. Graphically and experimentally laid out to show the intent behind the collection, it joyfully celebrates the artists and their artworks, and of course, their patron, the Edwardian.