Residential: Crystal Palace, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK
This was an unusual project—transforming and updating an innovative 1970s glass box house that had not been touched for 30 years. We took all the walls out and reconfigured the circulation to be more open. While the technical upgrade was quite complex (because the house is so lightweight and not insulated) the interior was a joy—wood block flooring, cork tiles, and terrazzo add character and texture. It reminded us that space is the greatest luxury of the 21st century.
Cultural: 1 Zhukov, Moscow
We [were challenged to] turn a disused factory into a startup hub for new business. We took lessons from current trends for a more industrial aesthetic, such as our Hoxton hotel bedroom, and applied it to a huge scale. The advantages: We get a really striking graphic building and save money. Usually developers think you have to have slick offices that are very corporate; however, to stand out in the market you need to offer a new model. This is our version.
Retail: Raoul’s, Hammersmith, London
This café, bar, and deli was a great showcase for this small brand of family-run cafés. People love the idea of seeing what they are about to eat then having the choice of sitting down or taking it away. A deli means that food is all around you in a working environment—so very authentic. This logic is being applied to more and more hotels, where a basement or hidden kitchen is the norm. Having the preparation on show means there is more of a connection with the guest.
Hospitality: Zone by the Park
The challenge: A concept that could be rolled out across India, but reflected the character of the city where it was located. [At the same time] it had to concretize a sense of connectivity and exchange. So we developed the bazaar where all the functions on the ground floor are ‘zoned’ within one open space then curated by the hotel’s cultural ambassador who would source all artifacts, containers, and art from the local bazaar. In Coimbatore, for instance, local crafts include tin and pottery, whereas in Jaipur there is more brassware and painted papier-mâché. In the bedrooms, we have a number of themes that are interchangeable depending on location.
