Tag: ballymore

Piers Gough + CZWG + Dundee Wharf Limehouse London

Post author By Lavender's Blue
Post date January 1, 2024

Very Light Industry

Since the 1990s, the architectural practice CZWG has been enhancing the banks of the Thames, the river that snakes through London, with architectural brilliance. Contextualism and historical references are key to their riverside schemes’ success. Piers Gough CBE, the G in CZWG, states, “We have a history of reinterpreting industrial riverside structures for residential use. Dundee Wharf was a riff on cranes and mills, Cascades on grain elevators, Millennium Harbour on cantilevering control rooms and Seacon Tower was channelling exoskeleton support structures. At Rivermark for Taylor Wimpey London, the towers are like well oiled ribbed cooling cylinders of some imaginary industrial process.”

Dundee Wharf was built in 1997 by Irish developer Ballymore. Rectangular brick blocks of varying heights are positioned in a horseshoe shape. The seven storey principal elevation facing the Thames is a grid of alternating stacks of Juliet balconied windows and French doors opening onto balconies. The projecting balconies are framed by steel skeletons resembling inverted pylons. Attached to the corner closest to the river is an 11 storey tower and projecting from this is a steel skeleton tower of terraces taking the inverted pylon concept to its logical conclusion. A residents’ lounge sits on top of the skeleton tower like a bird’s nest surrounded by metal branches.

Tags ballymore, czwg, dundee wharf limehouse london, lavenders blue, millennium harbour, piers gough, rivermark taylor wimpey london, seacon tower, stuart blakley

Architecture Hotels Luxury Restaurants Town Houses

Villa Kennedy Hotel + JFK Restaurant Frankfurt

Post author By Lavender's Blue
Post date February 27, 2018
2 Comments on Villa Kennedy Hotel + JFK Restaurant Frankfurt

Er | The Autobiography of Things

So: 30 up, 20 to go. Cloudbotherers. In 2017 the price of new apartments in Frankfurt rose 25 percent. Hence the haste. It’s upwards and upwards. The Goldman Sachs rush. High cost high rise high flying high living it is then on the west bank of the River Main.

This, and other flotsam and jetsam, is what LVB* are discussing in Villa Kennedy’s JFK Restaurant. Over Cape Cod Dream mocktails: yoghurt | passion fruit | passion fruit juice | vanilla | lemon (€13).

Chocolate thins to counterbalance all that healthiness. The best since last week’s petit fours served at Ballymore’s marketing suite – over a chinwag with Sir Oliver Letwin.

LVB are putting the gnomic into gastronomic.

There really is something swashbuckingly Rhode Island mansion about Villa Kennedy. It’s one of many turn-of-last-century landscrapers on the east bank of the River Main. Château façade; half timbered staircase hall; palazzo loggia: eclecticism on steroids.

Hansel and Gretel meets Norman Shaw was seemingly the whole rage back in the day. “Architecture is more than practicalities,” Dr Tim Brittain-Catlin reminded the audience at the final European Commission talk celebrating the European Year of Cultural Heritage.

Closer to the River Main is the 1896 Liebieghaus. A “prestigious villa” no less, announces a sign on the gatepost. Baron Heinrich von Liebieg’s former home is now an a museum. Said sign sums it up, “Manor house built in a mixture of styles: Southern German; Late Gothic; and Alpine Renaissance.” And for good measure a 1908 “Art Nouveau gallery wing with Baroque influences.”

Named after the Presidential visit of 1963, the very restored Villa Kennedy has been given the full blown Rocco Forte treatment with a little art deco help from designer Martin Brudnizki.

Hey ho. Jackie Kennedy was instrumental in launching the Irish Georgian Society. Ho hum. Now LVB have been appointed the social diarist for the London Chapter. JFK | JBK | IGS | LVB. Acronyms are so very FRA.

*A design based celebration of the good things in life

Tags ballymore, baron heinrich von liebieg, dr tim brittain catlin, european commission, european year of cultural heritage, goldman sachs, jackie kennedy, jfk restaurant, lavender's blue, liebieghaus, martin brudnizki, norman shaw architect, president kennedy, rhode island mansions, rocco forte, sir oliver letwin, stuart blakley, villa kennedy frankfurt

Luxury People

The Communication Group + 10 Bloomsbury Way London

Post author By Lavender's Blue
Post date September 24, 2016
5 Comments on The Communication Group + 10 Bloomsbury Way London

The Bloomsbury Group

London architecture practice Buckley Yeoman Grey are no strangers to breathing new life into old buildings. Derwent London’s Buckley Building in Clerkenwell, 1930s printing works turned offices, is a case in point. L+R commissioned the architects to transform the 1940s Ministry of Defence HQ into offices. Bloomsbury’s very own flat iron building, sprinkled with Buckley Yeoman Grey’s fairy dust, is now home to the UK’s longest established independent PR consultancy. Glamorous and sophisticated, the offices look good too. They overlook London’s most curious steeple: lions and unicorns coiling round the stepped pyramid atop St George’s Bloomsbury. Hawksmoor gone cuckoo.

The Communication Group was founded by Maureen Sutherland Smith, who is now the Chairman. A renowned professional in the world of PR, Maureen was made a Freeman of the City of London in 2011. She’s also well known for her charity work. The following year, she was appointed Vice President of Coram, the UK’s oldest children’s charity, and has since been made a Life Governor. In recent times, Maureen chaired the Grosvenor House Arts and Antiques Fair which raised over £400,000 and organised the City Rocks concert. Attracting the likes of Brian May, Lily Allen and Sophie Ellis-Bextor gathered £200,000 for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

Clients of The Communication Group range from places to live in (Ballymore) to places to stay in (Jumeirah) to places to work in (Howick Place) to places to save in (Coutts) to places to spend in (Masterpiece) to places to get well in (Nightingale Hospital) to places to get even better in (Necker Island) to places to bring an umbrella (Edinburgh) to places to forget an umbrella (Dubai) and umbrellas (Fulton). Wherever Ms Sutherland Smith’s black Morgan is parked outside, there’s a good party going on indoors. Tonight is no exception. It’s The Communication Group’s 30th birthday celebrations. Hurrah! The lights are on in 10 Bloomsbury Way and everyone’s home. It’s time to chat to Lady Lucy French of St James’s Theatre.

Assassin-black uniformed waiters come and go from The Bloomsbury Kitchen serving caviar, smoked salmon and cream cheese followed by watermelon and mint. Janisson + Fils champagne flows. A tower of coloured meringues lures guests. Maureen steps forward to speak, “Thank you so much for the flowers and cake! I find it difficult to believe its 30 years since The Communication Group began. It’s been a privilege over the years to have such exciting, outstanding and amazing clients! It’s been wonderful to build friendships and relationships. Other companies have been bought out but The Communication Group is proud to have retained its independence. So I would like to give you a big thank you for the part you have played in our past, present and I hope in our future!” The saxophonist plays happy birthday. Later, a female lead will sing Valerie while the band gets louder and the lights dimmer. “The singer was an intern for me,” says Sally Hawkins, Chairman of the Management Board and Creative Director of The Communication Group. “She performs at the Blue Marlin.”

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