foster + partners: ME hotel in london opens to the public

‘ME hotel’ by foster + partners, london, england
image © francisco guerrero
all images courtesy of foster + partners

the aldwych crescent, a semi-circular plot of land in london’s west end, has just been completed by foster + partner‘s ‘ME hotel‘ on the corner site
at the southwestern end. the 157-bed hotel offers conference suites, a gym, and a 25-seat screening room in the basement. public restaurants, a bar, and
lounge are located at entry level with the hotel lobby, reception, and champagne bar on the first floor followed by nine stories of rooms and the rooftop
radio bar offering breathtaking views of the city. it’s the first project of the internationally acclaimed firm to be entirely designed by them, from the overall
structure to the graphics on the bathroom towels. the triangle is a common element throughout the project that appears in many scales and for many functions.

the overall footprint of the structure occupies a triangular lot. the main entrance is located under a portland stone-clad elliptical tower at the westernmost
extreme like a pivot from which the rest of the program radiates, with a glass rooftop dome enclosing the penthouse suite with 360-degree views. a pyramidal
void pierces through the 9 floors of the hotel creating a monumental courtyard with a triangular skylight, clad in triangular fragments of white marble that
reflect light from the sky down the elongated volume. the top two floors contain suites with private terraces in front of a panoramic window composed
of engineered triangular glass shards containing invisible edges while maintaining its thermal and acoustic properties. adding to the elegance of the
project, a powerful monochromatic scheme defines each of the functions. the corridors wrapping the exterior of the central triangular prism are defined
by a shining black atmosphere, contrasted by the stark whiteness of the bedrooms again accented with reflective dark fittings. the neighboring historic
marconi house was restored and reconstructed to add 87 apartments to the program as well.

bar and restaurant
image © francisco guerrero

giles robinson, partner at foster + partners, explains:

‘by designing the hotel inside and out, down to the last detail, we were able to maintain a high level of quality and continuity. inside, the bold black
and white interior palette establishes a strong identity – we defined the individual character of each space through variations in tone, texture and scale.
tThis commitment to quality throughout would not have been possible without the encouragement of our client and our shared goal to create an exceptional
experience for guests.’

restaurant
image © francisco guerrero

lounge
image © francisco guerrero

lobby servicing the rooms
image © francisco guerrero

image © francisco guerrero

triangular courtyard
image © francisco guerrero

skylight makes a radial polygonal shape fractured by light
image © nigel young / foster + partners

room interior
image © francisco guerrero

dining area of room
image © francisco guerrero

bathroom
image © francisco guerrero

sitting area
image © francisco guerrero

view over the city
image © francisco guerrero

rooftop lounge
image © francisco guerrero

image © francisco guerrero

image © francisco guerrero

site plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 3

floor plan / level 9

floor plan / level 10

floor plan / level -1

section

project info:

client: melia hotels international galliard homes
architect: foster + partners
foster + partners design team: norman foster, david nelson, nigel dancey, giles robinson, nick ling
mechanical engineers: bdsp
electrical engineer: bdsp
main contractor: adprotel (sol melia subsidiary)
structural consultants: buro happold
cost consultant: gleeds
lighting design: bdsp
fire consultant: fedra (buro happold)
landscape consultant: atkins
services: bdsp
planning: dp9
traffic: atkins
historic building advisor: feilden & mawson
acoustic: sandy brown associates
concrete: knight build
steel: rowan