Façade structure by seele for new Peninsula Hotel London

The Peninsula Hotel, London, UK

21,751sqm

bronze coloured façade construction 

488

elements 

30m x 8.20m 

huge canopies

Bronze coloured façade for Peninsula Hotel in London

The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited is the owner and operator of some of the world’s finest hotel properties under The Peninsula brand. The Peninsula portfolio comprises ten operational Peninsula hotels in exceptional city centre locations in Asia, US and Europe, with a further three under development in London, Istanbul and Yangon.
The Peninsula London is situated in an exceptional location adjacent to Hyde Park and Green Park and will have sweeping views over Buckingham Palace Gardens. The property will comprise of 190 hotel rooms and 24-28 private residences, with luxury facilities including a spa and world-class restaurants.
seele was commissioned with the design, fabrication and installation of various façade and door systems as well as canopies of approx. 21,751sqm.

  • The entrances of the hotel will be highlighted by a canopy made from patinated brass frames and glazing, up to 30m x 8.20m. The special surface will be a feature throughout the design: all window elements of the façade will have a bronze colour tone and material consisting of anodised aluminium and patinated brass. Another highlight is a striking ring pattern which will be milled in the window elements. In total, approx. 488 elements of 9 different types, including windows up to 3.30 x 4.20m and sliding window elements up to 5.00 x 3.20m, will be created.
    seele has already manufactured visual mock-ups of one window element and installed it in Gersthofen, Germany as well as in London. Furthermore, another mock-up of the unitised façade, which will be situated on 2nd – 5th level, was built.

    Header Image: © Hopkins Architects

  • Peninsula Hotel London with façade structure made by seele
  • Peninsula Hotel London with façade structure made by seele
Peninsula Hotel London with façade structure made by seele
© Hopkins Architects
Peninsula Hotel London with façade structure made by seele
© Hopkins Architects

Unique material competence in brass

Bronze and brass have enjoyed increasing popularity in architecture in recent years. In combination with various manufacturing processes, joining techniques and surface finishing, there are many possibilities for product function and design. For the Peninsula Hotel project, the team from seele's R&D department had to work intensively on the most sensible combination of all influencing parameters. Essential components were material workshops with samples and product examples in order to gradually approach the intentions and technical feasibility. This also included the adaptation of the upper areas of the façade in which anodised aluminium is used. The result was several surface treatment processes to prepare the final surface characteristics and a patination and protection process adapted to them. Taking all factors and workshops into account, the decision for the ground floor was ultimately made in favour of patinated brass.

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Patinated brass
Creation of samples and product examples to find the best solution
Further material competence: use of anodised aluminium for the upper areas

project diary

Installation progress on Peninsula Hotel in London

The extensive design process for the luxury hotel began as early as 2016. Since then, seele has already created several mock-ups and production is running at full speed. Assembly on site began in May 2019.

  • 10/2022
  • 07/2022
  • 05/2022
  • 12/2021
  • 10/2021
  • 07/2021
  • 06/2021
  • 12/2020
  • 08/2020
  • 07/2020
  • 05/2020
  • 10/2019
  • 08/2019
  • 06/2019
  • 05/2019
  • 11/2018
  • 08/2018
  • 06/2018
  • 10/2017
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10/2022

Installation work is entering the home stretch. In the Courtyard, the large canopy has been installed.
10/2022

07/2022

The balustrades (approx. 800 running metres) are being finalised on the top floors.
07/2022

05/2022

While the rooflights on the top floors are being completed, the installation of the substructure for one of the large canopies is beginning at the Grosvenor Crescent entrance.
05/2022

12/2021

During the night, the 17t steel substructure for the canopy of the restaurant on the 8th floor roof terrace was lifted into place.
12/2021

10/2021

On the terraces, the brackets for the partitions, claddings, planters as well as balustrades are being installed, and the fitting of the doors is also being prepared.
10/2021

07/2021

The installation of the curved glass panels for the Pen Boutique and the Chinese Restaurant has begun.
07/2021

06/2021

The last element of the courtyard was installed. Soon, the assembly of the curved glass and the canopy constructions on the ground floor will commence.
06/2021

12/2020

The last element is leaving our site in Germany. All in all 1,170 elements of 8 different types with 47 different designs were manufactured here.
12/2020

08/2020

The assembly of the sliding elements on level 6, 7 and 8 has begun.
08/2020

07/2020

In the last two months the façades in the inner courtyard as well as the outer façade, except for the southweste side, were almost completed.
07/2020

05/2020

After the closure of the construction site due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work is now continuing and the installation of the relief plates is being continued.
05/2020

10/2019

The element installation for level 2 is completed. Both in the inner courtyard and outside, these elements are surrounded by a stone façade as well and are equipped with balustrades.
10/2019

08/2019

The first façade elements with glazing and characteristing relief panels with ring pattern are installed.
08/2019

06/2019

For the three canopies of the hotel, which extend up to 7.7m, seele built another mock-up. It consists of a steel substructure, patinated brass and curved glass panes. The building will later be roofed over with an area of approx. 450sqm.
06/2019

05/2019

Assembly on site has begun: In the first step, the rails for the substructure of the outer walls on the first floor are now being installed. This is followed by the corresponding perforated windows.
05/2019

11/2018

The production of the elements at seele GmbH is running at full speed. 5 of the 9 element types have already been completed.
11/2018

08/2018

Performance mock-up at seele in Gersthofen: Several tests were carried out on two overlying façade elements.
08/2018

06/2018

The first manufactured façade elements leave seele in Gersthofen and are stored in a warehouse in Rotterdam.
06/2018

10/2017

The second of two visual mock-ups with a surrounding stone façade is completed in London: The aluminium element consists of an opening element, a balustrade and metal sheets above.
10/2017

Credits

Client The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited
Architect Hopkins Architects
Engineer WSP facades
Date of completion 2023
Scope of work by seele
  • Bronze stick façade system on ground floor level (made out of patinated brass), approx. 878sqm
  • Bronze punched window elements (patinated brass) on 1st level, approx. 830sqm
  • Unitised façade on 2nd – 5th Level
    • Aluminium-structure, bronze anodised with glazing, approx. 5950sqm
    • Aluminium-structure, bronze anodised, behind stone façade, approx. 3,100sqm
  • Sliding doors on 6th – 8th level with aluminium structure, bronze anodised, approx. 2,200sqm
  • Bronze canopies, external elevations and courtyard (patinated brass), with curved glazing, approx. 460sqm