NEWS – Cork Street Native Land Press Release
GALLERY, ARCADE AND RESIDENTIAL SCHEME TO PROVIDE A
NEW HEART FOR MAYFAIR ART MARKET
Native Land submits Rogers Stirk + Harbour plan for
29-30 Old Burlington Street and 22-27 Cork Street, London W1
Native Land has submitted a planning application for the proposed development at 29-30 Old Burlington Street and 22-27 Cork Street, which will create apartments and galleries, together with a new arcade with public art running through to Cork Street, the first Mayfair arcade to be built since the 1930s.
The development, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, will replace an outdated and architecturally unsympathetic 1980s office refurbishment, which is reaching the end of its physical and economic life having been built in the 1930s. Not only will the project enhance the experience of one of London's most established art gallery districts, it will also re-establish the character of the Georgian streetscape with a building of the highest architectural quality.
Forty-two apartments are proposed over floors 1-8 of the new nine storey development. A mix of one, two and three-bedroom homes will meet a variety of UK and international occupier requirements.
In addition to the apartments, the proposals include 1,998 m2 of retail space designed for gallery use, double the amount of gallery space currently on site. The developers are also proposing entering into a binding commitment with Westminster City Council to ensure that at least half the new retail space will be let to galleries, including the developments' entire Cork Street frontage.
Alasdair Nicholls, Chief Executive of Native Land, said:
"We are committed to reinforcing Cork Street's reputation as a world class art district and maintaining its position as one of a number of international arts market hubs within London. Enhancing the character of the area with new gallery space will be an important factor in the success of the accompanying residential development."
The new development will have the potential to offer up to 5 galleries in a range of sizes designed to meet the diverse and changing needs of gallery operators within Mayfair, where many prospective occupiers require a range of floor spaces, higher ceiling heights and more flexible layouts to satisfy their changing needs.
The Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners' design provides a positive contribution to the streetscape of Old Burlington Street and Cork Street, with street-facing facades comprising a series of bays in proportion to the nearby former townhouses. The development will comprise two linear buildings, connected by a single translucent core and new arcade. At the upper levels, the façade is inclined and is set-back to respond to the buildings neighbours.
The proposed materials have been carefully selected to reflect the architectural heritage of the area. The dark structural frame will include crushed granite, basalt and mica broken up by a series of light stainless steel frames, surrounding windows and hand-made bricks. This matches the colour contrast of surrounding buildings with their brick facades and white window frames.
Graham Stirk, partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, said:
"We're very proud to be proposing Mayfair's first new public arcade since the 1930s. The real joy of the project will be an unexpected vista of complexity and colour which hides behind a cool exterior of simple, flexible residential accommodation; it is a building that only reveals its true modernity after crossing the threshold."
The planning application follows extensive consultation with local residents and businesses within Mayfair, along with members of the arts community, English Heritage and Westminster City Council.
Native Land, the Mayfair-based development company, is managing the proposed development, after acquiring the site freehold in August 2012 in a joint venture with Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the Singaporean hotel, property and retail group, and Amcorp Properties Berhad (Amcorp), the Malaysian property, engineering and infrastructure group. The re-development proposals were drawn up partly in a response to the expiry of all the leases later this year, which presented a clear opportunity to improve the site. In December 2012 Native Land secured funding for the development via a £90 million debt facility from OCBC Bank of Singapore.