Whiteleys department store first opened in London’s Bayswater in 1911, and the building went on to become a city landmark, all Grade II-listed historical architecture and cosmopolitan grandeur. The store closed in 2018 and the building is now celebrating the reveal of its new lease of life – its reinvention as The Whiteley, the newest luxury offering in London’s residential development scene, designed by architects Foster + Partners with interiors by Finchatton.
The structure, restored, redesigned and expanded by the Foster + Partners team, is set to host 139 homes, along with London’s first Six Senses hotel and spa. Wellness, residential architecture, and commercial space in the shape of 20 new shops, cafés and restaurants, a cinema and a large-scale gym, all come together in this scheme, which aims to revitalise the whole surrounding neighbourhood with an injection of high end design, and lifestyle-enhancing facilities.
Spatial generosity and attention to detail defines the development of The Whiteley throughout. There is a painstakingly refreshed, glass rotunda and dome (with a nod to that of the Reichstag Building); tall ceilings in both the private and communal spaces, some of which reach heights of up to 6m; and a refined, subtly luxurious material and colour palette, which emphasises understated elegance and art at every turn.
Meanwhile, the Six Senses hotel’s five star amenities are available to all the development’s residents, as well as hotel guests; these span from wellness spaces to co-working areas, and childcare facilities, while there is also a curated arts programme.
Located a stone’s throw from Hyde Park and central London, with a 21st century design by the world-renowned Foster + Partners and a majestic, historical building shell, The Whiteley is a tempting prospect for its future occupants. With the renovation works scheduled to be completed in 2023, this series of images should serve to fuel anticipation. §
