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View Full Version : Silken Hotel, Aldwych, London - December 2009. - ARCHIVE



Forsaken
11-02-2010, 11:22 PM
Site: Silken Hotel, Aldwych, London, England.

Status: On Hold

Height: 11 Floors

Project Description: The first UK venture for the Spanish Silken Hotel Group is located on a prominent site at the intersection of the Strand and the Aldwych. This premium position will be an appropriate address for their new flagship five-star hotel. The project will deliver a bold contemporary vision within this richly historic location, by combining the restoration of the listed facade of Marconi House, with a new Portland Stone building and an entirely restructured interior.

The scheme comprises restaurants, bars, a rooftop terrace with spectacular views across Central London, a 170 bedroom hotel and 90 apartments. The proposals have been developed with sensitivity to the Strand Conservation area and in close consultation with Westminster Planners. Retaining the Grade II listed faade to the rear, Portland Stone has been used for the new elements, to remain in keeping with the original Aldwych masterplan.

The concept was to create a seamless relationship between the existing building and the contemporary additions. The hotel is contained within the new faade, which corresponds in height, scale and material palette to the adjacent apartment accommodation within the earlier listed masonry faade. Inside, a dramatic eleven-storey atrium will create a focus for the collective activities of the hotel.

Rendering:
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5044/renderk.jpg

Architect: Foster and Partners.

Client: Grupo Urvasco S.A.

Source: Foster and Partners (http://www.fosterandpartners.com/Projects/1301/Default.aspx) | In attendance: 'Forsaken.' and 'Kevin arnold'

With a week to spend in London and my lack of interest in the normal tourist sites, I got in contact with 'Kevin arnold' and he'd already got the Silken Hotel site in mind.

After a recce earlier in the day, we made our way into the city. The Strand isn't exactly a quiet area of the city by day or night. The site is also littered with cameras and if they're being monitored at the time, you will be seen. Our original destination was the last remaining crane. Unforunately, due to another security device on the crane itself, it wasn't worth the risk. Despite the cold conditions and the crane off limits, wind speed was low and the sky was clear. This allowed for a relaxed explore of the structure itself, with some nice views of Central London. Not the highest of sites, but here's the photographs:

01. The view which greets you at the top of the stairwell:
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/4563/dsc4090.jpg

02.
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/2661/dsc4089h.jpg

03.
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1227/dsc4101.jpg

04. Looking East, Heron Tower (http://www.herontower.com/) in the distance:
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3504/dsc4094umxgn.jpg

05. Looking South, Somerset House (http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/) and the London Eye (http://www.londoneye.com/):
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/5278/dsc4095.jpg

06. Looking West, the Strand never sleeps:
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/8889/dsc4097j.jpg

07. Looking North West, The Waldorf Hilton (http://www.hilton.co.uk/waldorf):
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/1650/dsc4098.jpg

08. The last of previously three cranes on site:
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/5263/dsc4096.jpg

Thanks for looking.

superkev
11-02-2010, 11:37 PM
spectacular views! nice bit of work! :thumb

boxfrenzy
11-02-2010, 11:40 PM
Very tidy report. London always looks great at night. :thumb

KingElvis
12-02-2010, 09:38 AM
very nice pictures, I like the 3rd one looking down the crane.

skin
12-02-2010, 10:14 AM
Pictures are good -they look really crisp clear and perfect exposure - wish my night shots could even approach these. Do you use a filter or is it in post processing?

Forsaken
13-02-2010, 03:45 PM
Thank you for all the replies :thumb

It's post production on Photoshop (although I really should purchase a UV filter to protect my lens), 'skin'. I've uploaded a raw image just to show the comparison:

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/413/dsc4094a.jpg

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3504/dsc4094umxgn.jpg