W London designs unveiled
The design ethos of the new hotel is said to play on “the parallel personas of the English at work and at play.” It will feature 192 stylish guest rooms and 10 two-level, branded residences, a W The Store retail outlet, as well as a destination restaurant and a signature bar.
Rob Wagemans of Concrete said the hotel would make guests feel like insiders of the city, not just visitors. “The design concept takes the dual personality of the quintessential Englishman or woman and creates a hotel to service the needs and desires of work and play, formal and party, reserved and outrageous, day and night,” he explained. “The bedrooms and public areas are a contrast of themes, colours, textures and fun, so London as the destination is inside the hotel – not just outside.”
The building exterior is inspired by the immediate cultural context of film, theatre and performance and the tradition of graphic light display in Piccadilly. Jestico + Whiles has created a unique building by day dominated by a restrained palette of white Portland Stone and white stucco. By night, artificial lighting of every type and colour dominates the exterior.
“The building takes its architectural cues directly from its context but interprets them in a wholly contemporary way. Accordingly, it was decided early on that the hotel would have a cool, understated Englishness by day and then would glam up for a night in the vibrant West End,” said John Whiles, Director, Jestico + Whiles.
These two contradictory personalities are realised through use of a fine, frosted, translucent etched glass veil which hangs on a delicate filigree web over a stony, honed, monolithic inner shell. By day, the building is calm and restrained. However, as dusk falls, a delicate tinted light begins to stain etched veil. The light intensity, colour combinations and colour saturation rise and fall according to the time of night, the season or the special occasion, or in relation to the density of pedestrian traffic through the square.
W Hotels is partnering with one of Ireland’s leading construction and property development companies McAleer & Rushe Group to open W London – Leicester Square as part of a mixed-use development with ground and basement retail space both available through letting agents CBRE.
