The Curtain, Shoreditch

Architects Dexter Moren Associates and interior designers Duncan Miller Ullmann have collaborated on the first London property for hotelier Michael Achenbaum. The Curtain, Shoreditch.  Words: Matt Turner | Photography: © Adrian Gaut / Andy Stagg

Dexter Moren Associates were architects for the project: “Our design reflects the industrial warehouse aesthetic of this part of Shoreditch,” says Zoe Tallon, referencing the red brickwork, profiled metal panels, Crittall-style windows and bullnose brick sills of the exterior. “Inspiration came from the many cabinet factories and warehouses that previously stood on the site. In these buildings the block is broken up vertically by the delivery doors to the warehouse; this also has the visual effect of breaking down a large facade into a smaller, more residential scale. The Curtain design uses this device to break up the visual mass of the building while retaining its overall cohesion by the use of brickwork throughout.”

Interiors are by Duncan Miller Ullman, in a style described by Creative Director Chris Machero as ‘rustic-industrial’. “We have created a sense of whimsy by combining luxury materials and amenities,” says Machero. “We wanted to take inspiration from Shoreditch – an inner city district in the historic East End of London where a real creative energy and mix of cultures interlock. Our concept was to take these foundations and create a narrative that would embrace this gentrified neighborhood but also give it something we believe it needs – a luxury hotel that mixes art, fashion, and architecture.” They have used materials such as raw brick, hand-scraped wood flooring, and ceramic bath tiles with patterned mosaics to create the hotel’s individual aesthetic.

In the double height lobby, blindfolded silver stag busts overlook a crystal chandelier which is suspended above the large scaled chevron patterned porcelain tiles. In the adjacent Tienda Roosteria, tacos and tequilas are served in a space accessible through the lobby or from the street. The Red Rooster Restaurant below is a riot of pattern, colour and brica- brac, influenced by Harlem’s Apollo theatre as well as various London and New York neighbourhoods and featuring retro pieces from Style Matters. Its menu offers Marcus Samuelsson’s take on American soul food classics, staples of the original Harlem restaurant menu rubbing shoulders with dishes newly created for the Shoreditch restaurant. Much of The Curtain is housed below street level. Says Zoe Tallon of Dexter Moren Associates: “We established almost on day one that the basement was completely critical to the success of the project. A restrictive Rights of Light envelope constrained development above ground, which left nowhere to go but down. This presented a number of daunting challenges, such as below ground contamination and archaeology works as the site was potentially located directly above a 17th century plague pit.”

These subterranean members club areas include the Imperial Room – a garden conservatory inspired by the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and decorated in Osborne & Little Butterfly Garden fabrics; Billy’s whisky bar, providing a more intimate atmosphere with its wood paneling, pin-striped walls, and refurbished antique bar; and a double-height conference space / ballroom situated in the centre of the basement. There is also a fitness area where the latest state-ofthe- art cardio-equipment sits against a vintage backdrop reminiscent of a school gym.

Atop the hotel is Mediterranean brasserie Lido, a white-washed, plant-filled space featuring blue and cream faux-wood tiles and a Moroccan mosaic-tiled pool in bright hues of aquamarine beneath its retractable glass roof. Guestrooms feature exposed brick walls, hardwood flooring, and black-framed factory windows. Artworks by Pete Hawkins are suspended on chains over the bed’s headboard. Casegoods are by Portuguese firm Ozo Living. Chesterfield sofas are clad in racing green leathers by Moore & Giles. The marble bathrooms were designed in collaboration with CP Hart and include heated floor tiles, Crosswater showerheads, and Effegibi steam generators in the suites. The final piece of the jigsaw is a co-working space set to open for the use of members and hotel guests in late Autumn 2017. Sources: Sleeper, 9-10, 2017

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