© Colin Streater

Architects: BUJ architects, Uri Blumenthal architects
Interior Digital Space, headed up by Eyal Shoan
Location: London, England
Project area: 68,500 sqm
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Colin Streater; Gear Construction

© Colin Streater

The newly opened Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London – with more then 1000 rooms and suites – is situated in London’s South Bank, within walking distance of the city’s most iconic attractions, including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and the London Aquarium. This modern trendy hotel is one of the biggest in Europe, include a 1,200 square-meter, pillar-free ballroom, 31 meeting rooms, executive lounges, bar and restaurants.

The Interior Design led by Eyal Shoan and his studio Digital-Space.The team created a contemporary, luxurious, designed hotel, with artistic features and a warm, engaging feel.

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A significant amount of time was dedicated to the initial entrance to the Hotel and the guest’s journey to their destination. Technical solutions were also fundamental to this build. With the build completed in less than three years it was vital to ensure these high quality designs and luxurious finishes were possible in a short time frame.

First impressions count and the entrance guide guests easily to their destination whether to the conferencing,

At ground floor level there are two large, LED lit glass feature walls, positioned one on each side of the main staircase. This staircase leads to the first floor reception and many of the public areas including the lounge, restaurant and bar.

© Colin Streater

Twelve meters in length and eight meters high, both of these walls gradually change their colour throughout the day, along with the glass artwork behind reception to change the mood and the feeling of the space – and to make the space interesting however many times you go through it. The whole ambiance of the space changes and creates an interesting visual experience from the guest’s first steps into the hotel.

© Colin Streater

In order to give a three dimensional effect to these walls, Digital Space created two huge woven 3D meshes from over 20,000 small transparent plastic panels by the “KOZIOL” . Hanging between two glass surfaces with a unique invisible structure, the LED light system by “PHILIPS Colors Kinetics” , using “color graze” with special lens, is located in the upper and lower part of each wall and transmits itself through this 3D mesh of plastic panels. A full RGB spectrum of colours is possible and it is programmed to change colours according to day light and create different moods.

Not only is this feature seen on entrance to the hotel, it is also seen from many of the public areas to add visual interest and a change to the ambiance throughout.

typical floor plan

The main reception area is defined by a twenty two meter long art glass wall which stands behind the counters. The unique nature of this bespoke image creates a magical environment for the guest, with a changing mood supported by a LED light system which simply brings the image to life. Again, the slow change in RGB colours gives the guest a visual delight and point of interest

Art is an integral part of the design in this hotel. Art works were created by Eyal Shoan and his team Digital Space with various innovative techniques and integrated both in the public spaces and the private rooms throughout the hotel. Some of the images were created by Digital Space while others are art works by various famous photographers from all over the world, such as Zenna Holloway and Akif Hakan Celebi.

© Colin Streater

These unique works ensure a flow through the whole building, from the ground floor lift lobby, up through the corridors and onto the bedrooms or into the meeting areas.

The main feature of the rooms and suites is the bathroom pod, or as termed by the team, the “MAGIC BOX”.

© Colin Streater

Designed by Digital Space to include, and hide, all the various mechanical and electrical systems with the completed bathroom inside including all the sanitary ware and fine finishes, externally the box had the wardrobe, kitchenette, safe and mini bar. Finished to an exceptionally high specification, the superior external wood finish was enhanced by unique art glass on one side, continuing this unique theme of the hotel. The art glass wall, on the wardrobe doors, offers a contrast and an interest to the calm colors of the rest of the room.

Produced in factories off site and in several different countries, this magic box arrived on site as a complete finished product, ready to be literally plugged in.