How often do you get the chance to stay in a building that’s up to 100 years old? If you stay at The Ned, you’ll have that opportunity.
Many new hotels are constructed around the world every day. But this has a significant impact on the environment. Adaptive reuse on the other hand – the practice of giving new life to underused or abandoned buildings – preserves heritage and reduces the embodied carbon, with fewer new materials needed
The Ned has a pattern of restoring historic buildings, transforming them into luxury, modern hotels. It started in the UK and has since expanded to the US and Qatar. Each of its hotels blurs vintage glamour with modern luxury, translating heritage into modern hospitality.
Keep reading to discover the stories behind each hotel.
The Ned London
The Ned London occupies the former Midland Bank headquarters, in the heart of the City of London. The Grade I listed building was originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens between 1924 and 1939. At the time, Midland Bank was considered to be the largest bank in the world.
The bank was taken over by HSBC in 1992, and the headquarters eventually closed in 2007. London’s Soho House & Co and New York’s Sydell Group joined forces to transform the historic building into a five-star, luxury hotel. Taking on the nickname Lutyens’ friends and family had given him, it was named The Ned.
The conversion retained the original 1920s banking hall, and the original bank vault now serves as a cocktail bar. The hotel additionally houses 250 bedrooms, ten restaurants and bars, a public spa, as well as Ned’s Club, a private members’ space, gym and rooftop.
The Ned NoMad, New York
The Johnston Building situated on Broadway was originally built in 1903 as a store and office. Unusually for the time, it was owned by a woman, named Caroline A. Johnston. According to historical records, she was a prominent 19th-century real estate investor and property owner in Manhattan, who managed her investments remotely from Stuttgart, Germany. She commissioned architectural firm Schickel & Ditmars to design a 12-story store and loft building, with a limestone façade in a Beaux-Arts style.
Following a restoration, The Sydell Group reopened the building as The NoMad Hotel in 2012. The interiors were redesigned by French architect Jacques Garcia, exuding old-world European luxury in a bohemian, Parisian apartment atmosphere. In 2021, this hotel closed, and The Ned NoMad opened its doors the following year.
Inspired by the existing 1920s Beaux-Arts style, the Soho House Design team took over and honoured the original architectural features. The Ned NoMad houses 167 bedrooms and suites and Cecconi’s. It offers additional dining options at Ned’s Club, with access to Ned’s Club Downstairs, Ned’s Club Upstairs rooftop, and a 1920s-style Little Ned bar.
The Ned, Doha
Initially crafted by Lebanese architect William Sednaoui in the 1970s, The Ned’s third hotel in Doha, Qatar opened in the former Ministry of Interior. Between 2016 – 2022, David Chipperfield Architects refurbished and adapted the building, transforming it into the luxury hotel we know today. Boasting 1970s glamour, the heritage of the building has been preserved in its redesign.
Sir David Chipperfield, founder of the architectural firm, said: “What stands out about our approach to The Ned Doha is the careful balance between respect for the existing building, and the demands of its new programme as a boutique hotel. The Brutalist character of the original Ministry of Interior building — with its rhythmically articulated façade and sculptural silhouette — guided many of our design decisions.”
Many of the design decisions were also guided by the desire to minimise environmental impact and tailored to the Gulf climate. A brise soleil canopy was implemented to shade outdoor spaces and promote air circulation, while recessed glazing and vertical louvres of the façade reduce solar gains and minimise the energy demand for cooling, according to Chipperfield.
The Ned Doha features 90 bedrooms, seven restaurants, and event venues. Its Ned’s Club gives access to spaces including a rooftop terrace, a health club with spa, gym and 30 metre outdoor pool.
