8 Balderton Street – Mayfair, London

Corbin & King, best known for iconic restaurants such as The Ivy, Le Caprice and The Wolseley, are working with property group Grosvenor to create a luxury hotel, at 8 Balderton Street in Mayfair, London. The scheme includes a unique “inhabitable sculpture” by artist Antony Gormley in which guests will be able to sleep. ReardonSmith are the architects on the project.

The Art Deco style building is currently occupied by Avis Rent-A-Car. Originally built as a garage, the building was designed by Wimperis & Simpson in 1926 and overlooks Brown Hart Gardens and King’s Weighhouse Chapel beyond. Once construction starts, the development will take 18-20 months with the aim being to open early in 2013.

The planning application proposes 75 bedrooms and suites, public areas including a restaurant, and lobby bar / salon, a small private dining / meeting room, and a spa. The plans adapt the existing fabric of the building, including the principal elevations. A comprehensive consultation process was undertaken with local residents, Westminster City Council, English Heritage and other stakeholder groups.

Jeremy King, Director of Corbin & King Hotels said he believed too many of London’s luxury hotels were “chain driven, homogenised bed factories” lacking in character or individuality. “As restaurateurs and hoteliers our entire philosophy revolves around the quality of the visitor experience. Our vision for 8 Balderton Street is determined by the desire to provide excellence in service, value for money, and quality of accommodation.”

Sarah-Jane Curtis, Retail Investment Director at Grosvenor said Corbin & King had “a proven track record for not only operating high quality restaurants, but also their attention to detail and sympathetic treatment of buildings taking into account their environmental context.”
King added that Antony Gormley’s contribution to the scheme would be “symbiotic rather than purely a decorative addition”. “This work by Antony Gormley is an exciting integration of a sculpture within the functions of the hotel, while providing a new landmark. The design has been developed so a unique guestroom can be accommodated within it.
We have worked closely with ReardonSmith, the UK’s leading specialist hotel architect, in the search for an appropriate hotel site, while top planning consultants Gerald Eve have been instrumental in securing planning permission. With this location, ReardonSmith and Grosvenor we have the perfect collaboration.”

Patrick Reardon, of ReardonSmith Architects, added: “A fundamental element of our initial concept was that public art must be an integral part of what we do rather than a tick-the-box add on. We’re all thrilled that Antony Gormley’s iconic contribution has fulfilled our dream in such a spectacular fashion.”