The Auction Rooms project has transformed the former Bonhams Auction House, 22 Queen Street, into one of the city’s most sought-after commercial spaces. 

Situated within a Grade A Listed Georgian townhouse, originally designed by the renowned architect Robert Adam in 1784, The Auction Rooms delivers a seamless blend of historic architecture and modern functionality. 

Led by Edinburgh-based Atom Group, with design by Studio LBA and interiors by Nicola McMurray Design Studio, the restoration blends original features, such as grand staircases, ornate cornicing, and arched doorways, with contemporary design tailored to modern business needs. 

The redevelopment is already at full occupancy, as businesses continue to restructure regional office estates, with a shift towards flexible, serviced workspaces, demonstrating strong, sustained demand for high-quality, character-rich office space in Edinburgh city centre. 

Lynsay Bell, managing director of Studio LBA, said: “It’s been a privilege to work on such an architecturally distinct building, originally crafted by a pioneering figure in architectural history. Our strategy focused on preserving its stunning Georgian features while optimising the space as a modern, functional office environment. 

“Thoughtful design was central to our approach, curating spaces that pay homage to the building’s historic character, while integrating contemporary adaptations to create a beautiful and highly usable space. The Auction Rooms is a triumph of adaptive reuse and conservation, and a bold addition to Edinburgh’s office market at a time when demand for premium, central workspace is stronger than ever.” 

Communal areas take cues from boutique hotels, featuring soft lighting, plush furnishings and relaxed breakout zones that encourage both collaboration and quiet focus. Meeting rooms and private offices are finished with bespoke joinery, statement lighting and custom furniture, delivering a cohesive, high-quality tenant experience.  

Wellness and sustainability are central to the building’s design, with optimised lighting for productivity and smart systems, including LoRaWAN controls, helping it achieve an EPC rating of B.  

The reimagined space supports a wide range of flexible working options, including private offices, dedicated desks, open-plan layouts, and virtual office packages. These virtual offerings provide businesses with a professional address and access to The Auction Rooms’ extensive business services and meeting facilities, ideal for remote or hybrid teams. On-site amenities include shower facilities, secure bike storage, and thoughtfully designed communal areas. 

The Auction Rooms also features five beautifully designed external meeting rooms available for hire, accommodating between four and twelve people.  

Mark McMeekin, director at The Atom Group, said: “Working with the brilliant team at Studio LBA, we’ve created a space that blends heritage with modern functionality - a workspace that’s both inspiring and practical. The response has been exceptional.

“As we moved from development to operations stages, we brought in consultants with experience scaling serviced offices across global cities, drawing inspiration from design-led brands like FORA and Industrious, to provide the highest level of service from the outset. With the building now fully let and a growing waiting list, demand for high-quality workspaces across major cities is clear. 

“To meet that, we’re opening a sister building in the capital and launching MOTA, our new operating brand for serviced offices. We’re also exploring expansion into other major European cities. This is just the beginning.” 

The project was led by ATOM Group, with Studio LBA serving as architect and Nicola McMurray Design Studio responsible for interior design. Thomson Gray acted as quantity surveyor and principal designer, Christie Gillespie provided structural engineering, David Brown Lighting delivered the lighting design, and WGM served as M&E consultant.