The Westin LONDON CITY For Westin’s UK debut, Dexter Moren Associates designs a part urban, part aquatic-inspired hotel on the Thames. Words: Ben Thomas • Photography: © Matteo Barro
T
he Westin London City is a milestone project in more ways than one. Not only is the hotel Marriott’s 1,000th opening in EMEA, it also marks the Westin brand’s
debut in the UK and coincides with the 30-year anniversary of architects and interior designers Dexter Moren Associates (DMA), whose Founding Director has been involved in the development for more than a decade. Indeed, transforming the plot was no mean feat, with the structure – situated between St Paul’s and Mansion House on Queenhithe dock – only touching the ground in a handful of places, and its central section bridging across a busy arterial road through the capital. “It’s a land-locked site, so all materials had to be lifted above the road and stored within the building as there were no areas for the contractors to unload,” says Ed Murray, Associate at DMA, who delivered the project. “Logistically, these complexities made the process rather difficult.” Despite its challenges, the location did present some opportunities, with the newbuild’s resulting wedge shape allowing for two public entrances, one from the city and the other from the Thames via a path connecting the Embankment with the Tower of London. The unique configuration of the development aligns with Westin’s desire for distinct architectural forms too, so DMA devised a geometric façade that harmonises with the rectilinear forms of surrounding structures. Sitting atop a solid stone base are a series of glass-fronted, stacked boxes
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