18 Art Installations Yield a Strong Sense of Place

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

The details: Housed inside the India Buildings dating back to the 19th century, old-meets-new was a driving factor in the hotel’s design by London-based Four-by-Two and the art, curated by VISTO. Restaurant Eve, for example, features three brightly colored murals. There’s Mary in Space, a reference to Mary Queen of Scots, and Space Glove, featuring images of local flowers and thistle, the national symbol of Scotland. The third, Capercaillie Woman, shows a woman wearing earrings in the shape of Tubular Bells, the first record produced by Virgin Edinburgh’s owner Richard Branson, and a peacock, featured on a scarf worn by Branson’s mother, Eve, who serves as the restaurant’s inspiration. “The artwork reflects the design of the hotel as it juxtaposes the preservation of the original features and aesthetic of the building along with a contemporary twist and element of surprise,” says Tamara Weil Rodgers, director at VISTO.