UK: The Grade II-listed hotel in Paddington will be converted into an 87-key, four-star hotel with a flexible multifunctional lounge concept.
Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) was brought in as architect and interior designer by client Kulkoni Import + Export GMBH to reconfigure a previously approved scheme.
The revision will see the number of keys increase from the initial 80 to 87, and will include several modifications such as the replacement of the windows in the rear elevation to match the original design, as well as remodelling the entrance canopy and doors to complement the existing facade.
Internally, the layout will be completely reworked to align more closely with the existing structure, creating airy modern rooms.
The multifunctional aspect of the lobby, which responds to the challenges of compact spaces in central London, is a flexible self-service environment inspired by coworking lounges.
Overall, the design will look to retain as much of the remaining form of the hotel’s original conversion of three townhouses at 29-33 Norfolk Square.
Paul Wells, partner at DMA, said: “Our design respects the structure of the original three townhouses, retaining elements such as an original staircase and designing the front of house areas so the former three townhouses can still be read. At the client’s request, we opened up the ground-floor layout to create a connected lobby and library, maximising the space and offering a strong, welcoming first impression.”
“This scheme further builds on our strong track record of creating deliverable hotel projects that can achieve commercial success. We took on a scheme and through our experience, ingenuity and carefully considered design we have developed a workable layout responding to regulatory and brand requirements, whilst meeting all the client’s key requirements.”
The hotel is located on a closed front garden square surrounded by Grade II-listed Edwardian buildings in the London borough of Westminster and within the Bayswater Conservation Area.
