11-12 St James's Square London, SW1
Client: D2 Private
MoreySmith took two magnificent Regency houses in London's St James' Square and coupled them in an elegant marriage of old and new. The houses, listed Grade II and II*, front on to the square separately, but are joined at the back by a seven-storey atrium leading to a modern office building. Throughout the scheme, we aimed to achieve a sophisticated contemporary take on period design.
This is the remodelled entrance from the square.
Winner, FX International Interior Design Awards 2008
Workplace Environment
Contemporary furniture and fittings are boldly but effectively
juxtaposed with the superb original staircase and features of the
period reception, while a starkly modern square-cut opening,
illuminated with colour changing LEDs, leads into the central atrium
space.
'Bringing MoreySmith on board was one of the best decisions
we made. I doubt any other interior architects could have
achieved such an amazing transformation.'
David Arnold
D2 Private
We're delighted that the scheme is also achieving world record rentals!
The exterior, plus one of the upper rooms in the period part of the buildings. The muted colour palette is true to the original décor, and the original Adam ceilings and features have all been lovingly restored.
Looking across the atrium to the illuminated opening back into the period part of the buildings. The reclaimed brick cladding on the back wall of number 12 gives texture and acts as a reminder of the marriage between historic and contemporary.
The atrium previously started in the basement, but has been raised to ground level, creating a better flow. The colours of the luminescent glass desk, matching those in the openings, can change to create different moods. One of the original chandeliers, hanging against the burnt oak cladding, gives warmth and form to the crisp linearity.
Looking up to the new glass roof of the vertiginous atrium. The relief, a full 17m high, is by Dan Chadwick. Each of the 68 panels represents one square kilometre of McGillicuddy Reeks in Co. Kerry, Ireland, which D2's David Arnold calls home. The plan shows the extent of the new atrium, linking the front houses with the office building behind.
The plan shows the extent of the new atrium, linking the front houses with the office building behind.