Novum Incrementum

The Wellesley Hotel, London,

Lee was approached by the proprietor of the Wellesley Hotel Knightsbrige to come up with a concept and design for a sculptural screen to the front façade of the Wellesley Hotel, suited in the conservation are of Knightbrige that would provide screening to external terraces to the hotel.

The hotel building was originally constructed in 1920 to house the Hyde Park Corner Tube Station. It is famous for its original frontage, a distinctive oxblood red tiled facade by Architect Lesley Green. The screen pays homage to the facade, whilst granting privacy to the Cigar Terrace’s patrons. Designed as a functional work of art, the screen provides views of Hyde Park from the hotel as well as allowing passers-by to enjoy the historic hotel architecture.

The concept for the screen, was born out of the idea of constructing a textural surface that reflects and captures an essence of the adjacent Hyde Park. The screen was constructed from thousands individual cast bronze buds that are suggestive of, and capture the essence of, a flora form. The screen is contemporised complementation to Green’s façade and builds on the Arts and Crafts movement that underpins Green’s and Simmons’ work, by concentrating on the quality of materials and their natural beauty.