Completion Date: 2012 Role: Principal Designers
Overview: 15th cent. historical renovation and design of hotel (former monastery) and adjacent mansions.
Referencing hand-inked original plans bound in hardcover Lee & Berner's goal, along with Westminster Heritage and the architects from Sir Terry Farrell’s firm was to revert a century of inelegant renovations to the original glory of the 1800’s baroque private mansions. Reawakened the red bricked turreted hotel glows. Inspired by the art of 19th century botanist, Christopher Dresser, the tiered lobby is recast in fresh white and layered with intense peashoot, delicate pink and vibrant plum—colors that a stately country house in the city can wear. The original palatial ballrooms are covered with Lee and Berner’s design team’s custom-designed textiles.
The hotel archives contained a small old photo display of King Leopold’s bespoke car and driver at the turn of the century in the hotel's newly planted drive-in courtyard. The friendly royals are neighbors and with a discreet nod we can hint at which door in the lobby leads to our own secret tunnel passage to Scotland Yard or Parliament. Or we can take in London from our rooftop where our bees produce honey for tea service.
