The Citadel Hotel

Concept Project

A forgotten Victorian landmark, reimagined. The Citadel Hotel is a concept rooted in story, place, and possibility — a playful transformation of one of Sheffield’s most characterful abandoned buildings into a boutique hotel with history in its bones and humour in its heart.

2025

I’ve always loved the old Salvation Army Citadel in Sheffield — a beautiful Victorian building left abandoned since 1999. The city grew around it; the facade crumbled; the pigeons moved in.
 I wanted to imagine what it could be.

( THE CONCEPT )
( HERITAGE )
( IMAGINATION )
( HUMOUR )
( CHARACTER )
( CRAFT )
( PLACE )
A historic red-brick building with tall, arched windows and a tower, with a sign reading 'Salvation Army Corps' on the front, situated on a city street.
Old brick building with Gothic windows, a round stained glass window at the top, and a red sign that reads "New Road Layout."

I re-envisioned the Citadel as a boutique hotel: warm, characterful, and full of story. A place that honours the building’s past while inviting new life into its walls.

( THE OPPORTUNITY )
Luxurious hotel lobby with ornate ceilings, chandelier, classic furniture, and large windows with draped curtains.

The typographic system is inspired by the original stone lettering — sturdy slabs, historic charm. The logo mark comes from the Citadel’s central arched window, a symbol of restoration and return. The pigeons — long-time residents — appear as secondary marks, dressed in top hats and bowties for a touch of Yorkshire humour.

( THE IDENTITY )
Logo of The Citadel Hotel featuring a gothic-style arched window design above the hotel name

Warm earth tones, hand-drawn logo variations, and tactile textures balance heritage with approachability. Photography and mockups lean into Victorian richness, architectural detail, and the eccentric charm of the imagined hotel world.

( THE SYSTEM )
Designs of three logos featuring anthropomorphized birds with top hats, associated with The Citadel Hotel, established in 2025, with vintage-style fonts and a beige background.
Colorful circles of various sizes on a black background.

A playful, heritage-led concept that brings an abandoned building back to life. A celebration of place, imagination, and what this corner of Sheffield could become.

( THE OUTCOME )
Cozy wood-paneled room with tall window, green curtains, vintage chairs, a small table, and a colorful rug.
A white tote bag with 'The Citadel Hotel' logo resting on a dark green armchair in a wood-paneled room with large windows and framed artwork.
An illustration of a bird wearing a top hat, designed as a logo for The City of Del Rio. The bird is detailed with a bow tie and has a prominent eye. The background features a circular shape with the words "The City of Del Rio" curved along the edge.

Your story deserves to be seen with clarity and heart.

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