THE EMORY: A NEW LANDMARK OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE AND LUXURY HOSPITALITY IN THE HEART OF LONDON
The Emory, a modern architectural masterpiece designed by the late Richard Rogers and Ivan Harbour of RSHP, has officially opened its doors in Belgravia. The Emory is London’s first all-suite hotel and the latest opening by Maybourne, operator of Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley. It is the group’s sixth hotel, including its two international properties The Maybourne Beverly Hills and The Maybourne Riviera.
The Emory heralds a new standard of contemporary design and discreet ‘quiet’ luxury to the capital, delivering a feeling of intimacy and calm more usually associated with residential settings. Guided by its striking RSHP-designed ‘sails’ structure soaring above the treetops of Hyde Park, guests of The Emory arrive through a private cobbled entrance on Old Barrack Yard, a charming off-street enclave nestled between Belgravia and Knightsbridge. Departing from convention, The Emory’s central steel staircase, visible from the hotel entrance, is painted a distinctive hue dubbed ‘Richard Rogers Pink’. It serves as a homage to the late architect’s influential involvement in the project, adding a touch of personality and warmth to the central architectural feature and becoming a signature colour for the hotel.
Describing the innovative steelwork design of The Emory (the name originates from around 1068, meaning ‘home strength’ or ‘industrious leader’) architect Ivan Harbour likens it to “watchmaking on a grand scale”. Comparing the building to a beautiful Swiss watch with a skeletonised dial, “every element of the sail structure reflects a meticulous attention to detail, where the beauty of movement is apparent, and nothing is hidden. The aspect of timelessness is very powerful in architecture. It is important to create buildings and places with impact and longevity, whose role is more than just aesthetic. The integrity of the central idea of The Emory, the distinctive skeleton, the building frame, is rooted in basic original thinking and gives it a unique timelessness.”
Renowned designer Rémi Tessier has masterminded the public spaces of The Emory, from abc kitchens and The Emory Bar on the ground floor, to the tenth-floor rooftop’s The Emory Rooftop Bar and The Emory Cigar Merchants. Tessier’s interiors seamlessly blend a sense of warmth to the contemporary steel structure, complementing the glass façade with rich and high-quality materials, to deliver a mood of intimacy and calm.
The Emory boasts 61 extraordinary suites, complete with light filled floor-to-ceiling glass windows set over nine floors, including a spectacular 300sqm wraparound glass penthouse designed by Rigby & Rigby. Each two floors showcase the creative aesthetic of a different world class designer including Alexandra Champalimaud, Andre Fu, Pierre-Yves Rochon, and Patricia Urquiola. United by their exquisite craftsmanship, the generous interiors offer guests a world of privacy set within this architectural wonder. The designers’ attention to detail is showcased through various touchpoints: from bespoke furniture designed exclusively for The Emory; to utilising Richard Rogers’ expansive full-height windows to invite the outside in, creating a sense of openness and allowing guests to feel completely immersed in their surroundings.
On the ground floor of The Emory sits the restaurant, abc kitchens, from renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, offering for the first time, his much-celebrated trilogy of restaurants from New York – abc kitchen, abcV and abc cocina – all under one roof. Designed by Rémi Tessier, warm wood tones, polished copper, a vertical glass wine cellar and a colossal statement Rosso Orobico marble block set the stage, alongside a series of artwork by Damien Hirst titled ‘The Secret Gardens Paintings’. The abc kitchens menu reflects Vongerichten’s passionate commitment to fresh, organic, sustainable, and ethically sourced local produce, and showcase his creative and forward-thinking, plant-focused dishes, tonics, and cocktails.
The Emory Bar, also on the ground floor of the hotel, designed by Tessier, features an iridescent faceted glass canopy with kaleidoscopic colours, and a dramatic stained-glass installation created by artist Brian Clarke. Retractable glass doors unveil a dedicated courtyard to complement the vibrant space, offering a unique indoor-outdoor experience.
With its unparalleled 360-degree view of the capital’s skyline, The Emory’s spectacular rooftop on the tenth floor, is the jewel in its crown. Featuring two spectacular glass pavilions parallel to the steel ‘sails’ of the building, they are home to The Emory Cigar Merchants and The Emory Rooftop Bar, a sweeping space dedicated to hotel guests only, or by private invitation. In The Emory Cigar Merchants, burl wood details pay homage to traditional cigar boxes and a circular halo light fixture provides soft and diffused lighting while containing a state-of-the-art and hidden extraction system. In the summer months the roof can retract in both pavilions.
Setting a new service standard in the capital, all guests at The Emory receive a return private chauffeur driven car from London’s private airfields or international airports, daily English breakfast served in-suite or within abc kitchens, complimentary in suite bar and 24-hour service from a personal Emory Assistant. Guests staying at The Emory also have exclusive access to Surrenne, a new private members’ club for wellbeing and longevity. Spread over four subterranean floors of the hotel, the space provides a minimalist, relaxing and serene environment, creating an underground oasis in the middle of the city.
Commenting on the opening of The Emory, General Manager Knut Wylde said ‘We truly believe this discreet London landmark is offering something new and exciting to the current hospitality scene. With a heady combination of some of the world’s greatest architects and designers, the best food in town, and jaw dropping views from the rooftop bar, we can’t wait to welcome guests to The Emory.”
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