Commercial Road

Located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 384-398 Commercial Road is a proposal for a 101-room boutique hotel. The site is on Commercial Road between the Isle of Dogs and City of London currently consists of a group of grade II listed buildings which have formerly been townhouses, a maternity hospital, a SPCK Church of England lay preachers college later converted into the Steels Lane Health Centre. Located conveniently near to areas such as Aldgate, Liverpool Street and Towerbridge, this development is particularly unique and exciting. This boutique hotel is designed to offer guests a combination of private rooms and communal spaces.

The hotel proposes to incorporate a range of room sizes with private ensuite bathrooms and communal facilities including a reception, lounge, refectory, and garden. Integration of the new accommodation was designed to prevent undue compartmentalising to reflect the original plan form of the building. Improvements are required to ensure step-free access, along with an effective transport and servicing strategy. Building services had to be reassessed and a new sustainable design approach developed.

The plan form of the original buildings is respected with the reinstatement of the party walls, light wells and stairs to the town houses. This was facilitated by the linking the houses to the communal areas via a new courtyard, creating annexed accommodation. New passenger lifts are introduced to the main staircase, rear range and courtyard. A new mansard roof extension is proposed to one of the houses and loft conversion to the former college. An infill terrace extension with integrated carriageway would extend the accommodation linking with a new basement. Closet wings are proposed to the former houses to help reinstate room proportions to the main building.

The new basement links with the light wells to the original building reinstating the existing facades and respecting the historic fabric. The project would beautifully restore the existing listed buildings whilst transforming the layouts to create a unique boutique hotel, safeguarding the heritage of the historic buildings, and surrounding conservation area. The proposals have received planning and listed building consent.

 
Status: Planning Approved
Client/Developer: Ziser London
Floor Area: 3155 sqm