[interview] the project story
Image Credit : Gareth Gardner
Project Overview
The project is a Marketing Suite located within the Grade II*-listed former County Hall building, facing the Houses of Parliament on the Thames.
It was created for developer Braeburn Estates Ltd Partnership - a joint venture between Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company - to serve as the launch sales environment for the luxury residential offer that forms part of the new Southbank Place development.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Martin Goddard - Director
Jo Littlefair - Director
Kristy Unger - Associate Director
Jana Novakovic - FF&E Designer
Project Brief
The brief to Goddard Littlefair for the creation of the Marketing Suite was to design with a level of luxury detailing that would instantly communicate the quality of finishes of the final development.
Almost every element of furniture and decorative lighting within the scheme therefore was bespoke-designed by Goddard Littlefair, with exquisite care and attention to detail.
The concept is therefore immersive in character, giving an essence of what clients will be able to purchase and communicating an instant feeling of exclusivity and bespoke design, rather than just being a traditional sales environment.
A rich palette of colours and texture was created for the furniture and fabrics to ensure an elegant and assured final scheme. Artwork was a particular passion and interest for the client, with many original pieces of sculpture and art forming part of the finished environment. These range from the highly contemporary work of Yi Dai (winner of the 2012 Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project) to more classic bronze sculptures.
Project Need
Southbank Place, located between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges and bordered by the River Thames and Belvedere Road, will be made up of eight new buildings, together with the retained and refurbished Shell Tower. The overall development, which is one of the largest in central London at over 2 million sq ft and has been master-planned by Squire and Partners, seeks to re-vitalise the area with high-quality architecture and much-improved public spaces, as well as creating new pedestrian routes connecting Waterloo Station with the South Bank, including a widened Chicheley Street on the approach to the London Eye, plus a new city square at the heart of the scheme.
The Marketing Suite itself is a departure from traditional sales suites by embodying what potential purchasers can expect to find in the eventual apartments, with a much higher level of design detailing than would be the norm in a sales suite, as well as re-animating elements of the wonderful environment of the County Hall building, which had been out of active use for several years.
Design Challenge
The greatest design challenge was working throughout with the listed building fabric on this scheme.
Goddard Littlefair worked at all times alongside a heritage officer appointed by Lambeth Council in order to ensure that all significant aspects of the original building were not only respected, but also restored to the highest possible standards - and even added to in some instances, as well as using new features that achieve a level of seamless integration with the historic fabric of the building.
The main material element to be worked with was the site’s original timber-panelling, which was expertly restored, but could not be used structurally in any way.
Sustainability
The idea behind the design interventions was to create a sumptuous environment which would express the quality of the final product and seduce buyers coming to view. At the same time, there had to be a lightness of touch, so that the heritage elements of the scheme were respected and enriched. Much that was wonderful about the original building was restored to a level it hadn't seen since its original opening, with wonderful wood panelling throughout worked around and integrated into the scheme.
Goddard Littlefair architects worked with Lambeth Council Heritage Officers throughout to ensure complete respect for the original materials, re-used and restored wherever possible.
Interior Design - Corporate
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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