Bankside Due to Open October 2018 on London’s South Bank
Date: June 2018
Location: One Blackfriars, Southwark, London, UK
Name: Bankside – opening October 2018
No. of Keys: 161
Seller: The site was formerly occupied by the headquarters of Sainsbury’s supermarket.
Initially the development was promoted by the Beetham Organisation, the tower was originally proposed at 225 metres (738 ft), with 68 storeys, but was eventually scaled down after concerns about its impact on the rest of London.
A revised planning application for a 163 metres (535 ft), 49-storey tower was submitted on 30 October 2006. Although 57 m shorter than before, this would still make it one of the tallest buildings in the city, similar in height to the Gherkin and Tower 42 in the City of London.
A public observation gallery was to have been situated on the upper two floors, offering panoramic views across the capital.
The original plan would have featured a 5-star hotel and luxury apartments, each with their own internal conservatory space.
Despite a number of objections – from English Heritage, Royal Parks, Lambeth Council, Westminster City Council, local residents and ward councillors − the tower was given initial planning permission by Southwark Council on 24 July 2007.
The Mayor of London was in favour, and Lambeth Council wanted £180,615 of Section 106 money in compensation.
The Dubai-based Jumeirah hotel chain signed up as anchor tenants. In March 2008, the tower was called in for a Public Inquiry by Secretary of State Hazel Blears.
After the inquiry, Blears announced that she endorsed the recommendation of planning inspector John Gray that both schemes should be granted planning permission.
The project was placed into administration by The Royal Bank of Scotland in October 2010 following a breakdown in relationships in the project partnership. The site was purchased by Berkeley Group’s St. George subsidiary in October 2011,
Buyer/Owner: The hotel is part of One Blackfriars, developed by St George, Berkeley Group on behalf of Amerimar and Realstar, previous owners of 73 IHG hotels, sold in 2015.
Besides the hotel, there will be 274 apartments, spread over 50 storeys…as is the wont on new London skycrapers, it needs a nickname – The Vase
Amerimar, owners of several hotels including London’s St Ermins, DC Marriott, Sheraton Atlanta and several commercial office buildings.
As with the St Ermins the hotel will be a member of The Autograph Collection, under Marriott.
The design-forward hotel opening in October 2018 on the South Bank of the River Thames and in one of London’s most dynamic “new” neighbourhoods, Bankside. Just a stone’s throw from Tate Modern, British Film Institute and Borough Market.
Dayna Lee of Los Angeles’ Powerstrip Studio is the design visionary behind this new six-storey hotel and has subtly embedded the historical ethos of its SE1 surroundings within the aesthetic.
A film set art director-turned-hotel designer, Dayna approaches the design as a narrative and has taken a light-hearted and laid-back approach. Dayna notes, “Our design for Bankside Hotel has art school style with added polish, an appreciation for mid-century collection and black line drawings.”
The glass building that houses Bankside is part of the One Blackfriars development from award-winning architect Ian Simpson. Its contemporary exterior lines belie Lee’s timeless interiors, which blend mid-century modern classics with works from interesting up-and-coming makers and artists sourced from around the world.
Key artworks within the hotel include:
Laura Carlin – Ceramicist and illustrator from London, will provide two wall murals composed of illustrated tiles that bring to life the cultural narratives of the South Bank.
Malgorzata Bany – London-based artist and designer, is creating a series of side tables cast from Jesmonite based on the Pilotis Range – a collection inspired by the architectural language of columns used historically to raise buildings above ground or water.
Timorous Beasties – Multi-award-winning studio from Glasgow have been commissioned to create a textured backdrop that sits behind a leather and metal rocking horse.
Custom pieces of art hang above every bed. In one case the in-house creative team took iconic architectural images of the Great Arthur Estate in EC1 and manipulated and enhanced them into original works.
George Smith sofas – Inspired by one of the Regency’s most celebrated furniture designers George Smith, all of the furniture is handmade to order and built from the finest natural raw materials in workshops in the North of England.
Galvin Brother tables – a family-owned business based in East Yorkshire will be creating handcrafted wooden tables to feature within the hotel.
In-room, thoughtful tech touches include remote controlled blackout blinds and lighting as well as intuitive amenities such as a down-lit luggage stand and 12 USB charging points.
The configurations and custom furniture pieces are designed to make the most of the floor-to-ceiling windows and create light-filled spaces that are cosy and restful.
Bankside has been thoughtfully designed to deliver an airy-residential feel where lines are blurred between work and play, with social spaces providing inspirational gallery-style environments. The first-floor library, a fun space for reading, co-working or socialising, spills out into an outdoor deck for cocktails.
Sustainability is at the core of Bankside, beehives are planned for the roof, and the guest rooms will all come with power-saving attributes. Furniture and fittings are made from sustainably-sourced wood, waste food will be recycled as biofuel and non or low-VOC paints will be used throughout.
A partnership with Bouteco (a consultancy specialising in hotel sustainability) signals the project’s commitment to doing more than just saving water and electricity, while the hotel is working to forge connections with local businesses and ethical social enterprises in SE1.
THPT Comment: This hotel has been a long-time coming and we look forward to the artistic feel and sustainability it brings. It’s amongst good neighbours with the recent Hilton Bankside, Citizen M and several Accor hotels in the area…and trendy bars and restaurants. They have a seasoned DoS in Stuart Leckie…and just announced Douglas McHugh as GM (currently at St Ermins) – great team.
First Seen: Hotel Space Online