Novotel London Canary Wharf, London

Koncept Interior Design and Leach Rhodes Walker Architects collaborate to create a new flagship for Novotel, housed within Canary Wharf’s latest skyscraper. Novotel London Canary Wharf, London.  Novotel London Canary Wharf, London. Words: Molly Dolan | Photography: © ABACA Press / Didier Delmas

Set in Canary Wharf and what was once the world’s busiest dock, Novotel’s latest addition fuses the area’s illustrious past with its industrial present. From 1802, the area formerly known as West India Docks housed shipping ports, transporting goods from the Caribbean to the heart of the British Empire. Covering a mass of 295 acres, they received goods such as rum, molasses and sugar alongside more infrequent items such as spices, coffee and jute. In 1936, the West Wood Quay was built for import lines from the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, and so Canary Wharf was born. After the docks closed in 1980, Canadian tycoon Paul Reichmann took on the project of regeneration following a personal promise of generous tax breaks from then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. A few years of turbulence ensued, followed by the arrival of Barclays, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan and Thomson Reuters. The area is now home to numerous world and European headquarters for major banks and media organisations.

The newest skyscraper to pop up in the area is Novotel London Canary Wharf, a 39-storey tower housing 313 guestrooms, groundfloor coffee shop, innovative meeting spaces and three food and beverage outlets, housed within a fully glazed shell in a multitude of colours. Upon entry, reception desks are nowhere to be seen. Instead, staff use iPads to check guests in and out. Industrial materials nod to the area’s heritage with rough wood walls, brass lamps and hessian sacking accompanying Patricia Urquiola’s Husk chair for B&B Italia. “We took inspiration from Canary Wharf, with its rich industrial past and the fact that it was a thriving port, alive with the smell, taste and touch of exotic spices, tea, rum, coffee and silk,” comments Jennifer Preston, Associate Interior Designer at Koncept ID.

A new flagship for the brand, the design is distinctive. An oversized, bespoke staircase occupies the lobby, enticing guests up to more social spaces. Immediately upstairs is Le Club AccorHotels Lounge, featuring work from artist Sam Peacock in the form of a feature wall stained in coffee, another reference to the docklands. The copper, metal and ropes continue, softened by mustard fabrics, grey lounge chairs and a central cushioned seating area. “The overall design palette is warm and neutral, with natural and distressed materials like reclaimed oak and Cor-ten,” Preston continues. “Splashes of colour are dotted through the scheme in the upholstery, carpets and rugs.”

Of the hotel’s 313 keys, 26 are individually designed suites featuring floor-to-ceiling windows to optimise the views afforded by the world’s tallest Novotel. From the ninth floor and up, guests are treated to views across the Thames and to The Shard. Gary Darby, Lead Architect at Leach Rhodes Walker Architects, comments: “We have used clear glass panels, restricted to a reasonable amount per room, thus allowing the furniture to be located against a solid wall so as not to distract from the view.” He continues: “The exterior is fully glazed with different types and colours of glass, allowing a high degree of insulation.” As with public spaces, guestrooms blend natural woods, gold, copper and soft greys for a luxurious feel. Suites feature corner sofas in neutral tones, wall length bookcases, Miniform’s Line tables and Andreu World Hub chairs, the latter supplied by Tag. Sleek lines accompany timeless gold accents, while bathrooms are separated by frosted glass for a contemporary finish. 

Evoking a real sense of place, the interiors mark a new era for Novotel. “The main design objectives were elements of surprise, fun and excitement to generate a new environment for the guest, as well as push the boundaries of design and the Novotel brand standards to create a property like no other,” illustrates Preston. One complication came with the footprint of the site. “Traditionally, hotels operate with a larger floor plate allowing for horizontal circulation,” Preston reflects. “Here, we have had to design the building to allow for vertical circulation of the public areas. The challenge was to entice the guest up through the building.”

Exemplifying this vertical approach is Bokan – meaning lighthouse in Anglo-Saxon – the hotel’s primary food and beverage offer spread across the top three floors. Bokan 38 serves experimental cocktails with views of the city, while Bokan 39 is the rooftop bar, featuring design by Mystery, implemented by Koncept ID. Occupying floor 37 is the restaurant, serving decadent modern European dishes made using seasonal produce by Aurelie Altemair, former Head Chef at Michelin-starred L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon. A 70-cover eatery, Bokan follows the hotel’s modus operandi of sensual discovery. The design aims to respond to each of the five senses, beginning with sight. Lines are created between floors using the centralised, open-plan staircase, which also beckons diners to explore the space in its entirety. The sense of sound is heightened by the palpable buzz flowing between spaces, while a DJ platform occupies Bokan 39. Appealing to the sense of smell, Scentair has created a unique perfume for the brand, which is apparent throughout, save Bokan 38, where the aromas from the theatre kitchen take precedence.

Rounding off Novotel’s offer are the fitness facilities and meeting spaces, the latter of which comprises nine distinctive rooms. Each named after an imported good or similar, the rooms once again reflect the docklands’ history, with industrial tables suspended from wire, exposed materials and wooden crates lining walls and ceilings. The new opening is a significant step forward for Novotel and one that AccorHotels is understandably proud of. Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director, AccorHotels UK and Ireland, concludes: “This unique hotel is a shining example of our ambition to create innovative, guest-focused, sustainable accommodation that caters for the changing requirements of the modern-day guest as well as providing first-rate services for the local population.” Sources: Sleeper, 9-10, 2017

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