Behind the design of London’s newest hotel, The Emory
A design aficionado’s idea of hotel heaven, London’s latest luxury opening The Emory occupies one of the final buildings designed by the late, great Richard Rogers, who worked on this alongside partner Ivan Harbour of RSHP. One of the most influential architects of a generation and the talent behind Paris’s Pompidou Centre, the spiralling Lloyd’s of London building and Heathrow’s Terminal 5, Rogers again worked his magic here.
The epitome of ‘quiet luxury’, The Emory is all pale stone and glass matched with bronze and white-painted steel. In some kind of demure contradiction, it stands out due to its subtlety, and then there’s the technical prowess of its detailing. Rogers’ signature steel masts and cabling not only gift the edifice its iconic silhouette and new London landmark status, they also carry the weight of the entire façade. Harbour calls this level of precision ‘watchmaking on a grand scale’.
The final homage to the legendary architect’s involvement is the central steel staircase, visible from the hotel entrance, which is painted in a hue affectionately referred to as ‘Richard Rogers Pink’.
The latest launch from Maybourne, operator of Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley here in the UK, as well as two international properties, The Maybourne Riviera and The Maybourne Beverly Hills, it’s no surprise that The Emory is set to redefine luxury hospitality – it is London’s first all-suite hotel.
Set over nine floors, the 61 suites and public areas are every bit as impressive as the building itself, with a veritable Who’s Who of global interior design brought in to make the most of the magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Hyde Park. Hong Kong native Andre Fu, New York’s Alexandra Champalimaud, Pierre-Yves Rochon from Paris and Milan-based Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola were each charged with applying their refined aesthetics to two floors of bespoke suites. This is topped by a 300-square-metre wraparound glass penthouse by London studio Rigby & Rigby.
These heavyweights’ work is effortlessly complementary, united by an exquisite attention to detail, a deference to the power of craftsmanship and a sensitive response to the building’s architecture and surroundings. As with the exterior, subtlety reigns supreme. As Fu comments: ‘Gone are the days when super-suites were all about over-the-top theatrics. Now guests want somewhere that feels intimate and authentic, where they can spend quality time.’
Two spectacular Rémi Tessier-designed bars, one on the ground floor and the other on the 10th with 360-degree-views of the city, the first outpost of superstar chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s New York Abc kitchens, also designed by Tessier, featuring paintings by Damien Hirst, and Surrenne, not a spa, but a private members’ club for wellbeing and longevity, complete the picture, and what a picture it is. Not just a new London hotel, but a completely new concept in urban travel. the-emory.co.uk
