the savoy
Savoy Style: With The Savoy’s reputation comes the synonymous style of the hotel that has made it what it is today. What materials did you favour to achieve the Art Deco/Edwardian feel? Whilst trying to preserve elements of the original, there was some repair work needed on certain materials such as the flooring. We always looked to the original for inspiration so that we could evolve from a very solid style base. In the foyer, the plaster frieze has been restored and some of the wood panelling was damaged and so, had to be replaced. The famous black and white marble floors had to be replaced with new marble as well. In other rooms, for example the ballroom, new materials were brought in. The woven carpet in the ballroom was in fact one single piece of carpet- a momentous task for the carpet fitters but a truly wonderful piece of art and a very original way of doing it! The craftsmanship involved was simply stunning. Very talented people worked to restore and re- create, and the effect is superlative.
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It’s all about location: Was the location and
setting difficult to work with? Set on the Strand, you had to work to the confines of the previous space, was this difficult?
Again, this came down to management. Being an island site always has its challenges but it was thought through and carried out very well. Clearly, we could not have materials coming in from the Strand – one of London’s busiest thoroughfares - so everything had to be managed through the narrow and steep side road from the embankment. Logistically it was a challenge but the team succeeded in creating little disruption to the Strand- impressive given the scale of the project!
Preservation: Did you implement any measures within the architectural restoration that will help preserve the hotel for years to come? Have you introduced any more sustainable features? The Savoy- The Grand Dame, is so much more than merely
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fashionable. She is beautiful and timeless. She has elegance and grace and will continue on in her years with decorum and style. The idea of longevity was already instilled within the building. This was the first time in 100 years that it had undergone a total renovation and the fabric is now there for another 100 years. With regards to the actual style of the building and its interiors, she oozes the appeal of Edwardian elegance and charm, which is in itself, timeless. The enhanced Art Deco touches are
simply wonderful and it will really last the test of time. ‘Understated’ is the key word here. The Savoy has quality through and through so she will not fizzle within the first season. She will be enjoyed just as she is for many years to come. On visiting The Savoy, it is like returning to an old friend, familiar and yet rejuvenated. Some of the changes won’t be necessarily visually noticed, but they are there in the very veins of the hotel, running right through to the heart of the institution that is The Savoy.
Architects Choice 21
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