design et al are delighted to announce that Martin Kemp Design has been shortlisted for Luxury Residence – London Award in The International Design & Architecture Awards 2019.
The Design Brief for Martin Kemp Design was to develop concepts for full interior design of this landmark Mayfair development, comprising 34 apartments, concierge and lobby areas, private spa suite, business facilities and cinema.
The clients objective was to elevate Mayfair to even higher aspirational levels, bringing a freshness to the neighbourhood not yet seen in a contemporary development to date. Elegance and timelessness were of paramount importance, though subtle dynamism and stimulation were equally important to capture and captivate the end user. The scheme needed to evoke elements of Mayfair life and architecture through detail and form, combining aspects of tailoring and entertainment. Decorative details were to embody the varied styles of architecture seen in the surrounding area, a grand staircase mimicking that seen in the privately-owned Bath House which stood on the same site. Similarly, a grand dome was anticipated, bringing the spirit of the past up to date with technologically advanced lighting and scenes – themselves redolent of painted ceilings seen in the grand old houses of Mayfair long since gone.
Ultimately the brief needed to remain appealing to a broad range of potential purchasers, keeping neutrality and simplicity at its’ heart though, of course, adding punctuation of colour and style to stimulate. This was a first step into super prime residential territory for the client and so it was vital that the design succeeded in strengthening their own presence in such a specialised market, together with styling and ambience which needed to captivate and draw admiration from an unparalleled range of potential purchasers.
The grand atrium and staircase are virtually unique in such a residential development, these features draw the eye up as well as down, details in both are arresting and intriguing until one understands the story behind each piece. For example, the balustrade is supported by a detail inspired from the mechanism of a hand-made watch. The architecture assimilates perfectly into the large-scale buildings in Mayfair, the interiors likewise, evocative of past and present in equal measure and their comforts exude the existing lifestyle of the purchasers.
There were many artisans involved in the scheme from artists painting scenes from the Royal Parks which were later transferred into ceramic tiles for the spa, to light installation artists with whom we created the grand dome of the main staircase. Working with such a visionary and supportive Client made the entire project a pleasure for Martin Kemp Design, the spirit of this collaboration evident in the resultant scheme.