Image Credit : Chris Tubbs (images 1, 2, 3, 6, 7)
Kate Berry (images 4, 5, 8, 9, 10)
Project Overview
The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences is one London’s most iconic hotels. Its great history includes legendary associations with Hollywood, with former guests including Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Shirley Maclaine and Steven Spielberg, Cary Grant, John Wayne and Russell Crowe.
Leading British design studio Kinnersley Kent Design has transformed the hotel’s public spaces, including its bar and restaurant, which were created in partnership with Michelin-starred chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin.
The redesign celebrates The Athenaeum’s individuality and brings its unique personality to the fore. The design is playful and geometric, but not overly symmetrical – referencing the hotel’s art deco roots but with a thoroughly contemporary sensibility.
Wallpaper Magazine says “its sparkle has now been reignited” thanks to the redesign, while The Telegraph has asked, “is this London’s swankiest hotel makeover?”
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Project lead: Jill Higgins, Partner
Architectural and interiors team: Jill Higgins, Jenny Andersson & Anna Perity Pond
Branding and positioning: Lindie Kramers (Director)
Identity and graphics: Kenny Sum (Director), Lucy Toft (Main Designer), Diego Bucciero (Associate Director), Dimple Umeria-Alam, Chris Jones (Senior Designers)
Project Brief
The Athenaeum asked us to transform its public spaces, adding new layers of warm and subtle glamour to this family-run, five-star, thoroughly independent jewel in the heart of Mayfair.
The Athenaeum is a hotel of individuals, from the staff (the doorman Jim even has his own blog!), to the high levels of tailored service it offers, to the character of its individual guests. We needed to bring the hotel’s unique personality to life through the refurbishment, putting the customer back at the heart of the proposition.
The redesign needed to reposition the hotel to celebrate its unique identity, ensuring it continues to be attractive to target travellers while also appealing to new leisure customers from the local community of residents and businesses. The brief was to refurbish the lobby, lounge and first floor meeting areas, bar and restaurant, with the scope of works including branding, external architecture and a full interior renovation.
Project Innovation/Need
We developed a new brand strategy, positioning and identity, firstly by identifying the hotel’s core strengths – its heritage, attitude and location. Situated in Mayfair and overlooking leafy Green Park, the brand is delightfully English (in all the right ways) and independently owned, with an art deco spirit. And they’ve always done things differently.
Our repositioning strategy was based on celebrating the hotel’s individuality. One-of-a-kind, it is stylish and glamorous without pretention, and offers a refreshing alternative for guests seeking a more personalised experience. The hotel encourages staff members to let their personalities shine through, as friendly staff is the main reason for regular guests returning. This philosophy formed the foundation of our new brand ethos, ‘Stay Individual’, brought to life across all branding materials and at every touch point.
We also took new approach to the hotel check-in experience. To offer a personal and barrier-free arrival, guests are greeted warmly in person and checked in via iPad. A concierge service ensures the entire process is seamless and welcoming.
Design Challenge
The challenge was opening up the hotel in terms of light, space, circulation and visibility, bringing its personality to life.
We transformed the exterior with an impressive new entrance and beautifully-detailed ground floor bronze façade. The aesthetic is ‘authentic deco’, with brass details referencing the modernist style of the original 1930s building. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside in, enhancing views of Green Park.
In the lobby we retracted the existing mezzanine gallery, doubling space. We added warmth and subtle glamour, applying playful architectural signatures in line with ‘Stay Individual’. Stunning metal screens create semi-private zoning. The palette is rich, understated, indulgent and luxurious, full of contrast and texture. We chose an eclectic mix of classic British and European furniture, including contemporary and mid-century pieces, reflecting the hotel’s strong heritage. It’s mismatched with a curated eye.
We worked with The Athenaeum and Galvin Brothers on F&B spaces. We opened up the restaurant, making it subtle and refined. The spectacular bar is a sensual delight, featuring a deliciously dark, tactile palette and full-height windows backed by greenery. There’s a sense of being in a secret, subterranean destination – a million miles from London’s busy streets.
Sustainability
Where possible, we kept the existing flooring, fixtures and fittings to minimise wastage: we reupholstered key pieces of furniture to complement the new design; treated the existing white oiled oak flooring in the restaurant and bar; and retained restaurant’s existing centrepiece chandelier. The chandelier was in great condition and fits perfectly with redesign thanks to its spare, mid-century aesthetic.
The acclaimed Galvin brothers restaurateurs, known for their impeccable French cuisine, are offering British classics on their menu for the first time at The Athenaeum in keeping with the new ‘Stay Individual’ brand ethos that we developed for the hotel. Their menu, therefore, champions homegrown British seasonal produce, supporting independent farmers across the UK and reducing carbon footprint.
Interior Design - Hospitality
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.
More Details