H10 HotelRealized

A public living room

Client: H10 Hotels
Programme: 177 Room 4* Hotel with restaurant and leisure facilities

H10 London Waterloo is a landmark four-star hotel, developed in a key central London location. The plot is an example of one of the many offsets, shifts and jumps in London’s urban layout that was created by the influence of land ownership and which is part of London’s charm. The building design is an innovative response to this awkward narrow site.

Rather than trying to tie in with the height of its neighbours, the hotel integrates itself by encouraging human connections. At 13 storeys, this 177 room hotel is the tallest building in the area. The composition of the building responds to its surroundings with carefully considered setbacks and heights in the base, middle and top zone. At ground level a cut back into the building allows for a generous path for pedestrians around the site, creating a vibrant and active frontage to Waterloo Road. The resulting overhang creates a glazed foyer and entrance directly onto the pavement. In the Piano Nobile H10 Hotel revives a classic hotel typology, where common areas acted as public living rooms. The hotel restaurant has established itself as a meeting place for businesses of the surrounding.

The variegated brickwork of the façade was chosen to give solidity and permanence, however the stark elevation is broken down with combinations of large flush openings and deep brick reveals, creating dynamic patterns and reflections. The generous openings encourage views to the street and its surroundings as well as connections to a public bar at ground level.

Sustainability has been carefully considered in the design of the hotel, with the design achieving 38% renewable energy using an air source heat pump and gas-fired CHP.

Awards:
RIBA Hotel and Leisure Architect of the Year 2010
New London Architecture Award: best project in the category hotels, 2011

Team:
Maccreanor Lavington:MLA+
Project management: Warwick Avenue. Planning consultant: Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners. Structure: Halcrow Yolles. Services: Freeman Beasley. Interior: Pedro Pena. Acoustics: Sharps Redmore Partnership