In pictures: Fletcher Priest Architects completes first phase of Knightsbridge Estate

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Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

Source: Dirk Lindner

1/21

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Fletcher Priest Architects has completed the first phase of the regeneration of The Olayan Group’s Knightsbridge Estate, restoring a set of historic buildings into a modern, mixed-use estate.

The development includes 10,750sq m of workspace, 33 build-to-rent properties set around an internal courtyard, a rooftop restaurant, and new retail spaces, already let to flagship stores for brands including Burberry and Apple.

Working alongside historic building consultants Donald Insall Associates, the practice has refurbished the century-old facades of the estate. The process involved restoring the architectural integrity of each individual building, recreating lost elements and creating a coherent design from ground to roof.

Historic drawings and architectural records were used to deliver previously unrealised elements of the early designs, including the cupola for No.1 Sloane Street, which was originally designed by William Duvall Goodwin in 1903.

The lost half of a building on Brompton Road has also been restored, creating a 300m run of Edwardian gables which had been lost for decades.

The process involved restoring the architectural integrity of each individual building, recreating lost elements and creating a coherent design from ground to roof.

The project’s public realm has been upgraded. The original Knightsbridge underground station building in Hoopers Court is once again used as a station entrance. Working with London Underground, the design team reactivated the historic lift shafts enabling step-free access to the station.

The works also provided the opportunity to improve the heat extraction from the underground line, allowing for increased train frequency to Heathrow and futureproofing the Piccadilly Line.

The redesigned Hooper’s Court pays homage to the original Knightsbridge Station with its restored faience oxblood facade. The recurring floral honeysuckle motif of the passageway and the new workspace building above, One Hooper’s Court, has been inspired by the local botanist John Hooper who laid out this route in the late 1700s.

The design continues to the rooftop restaurant, with the motif recurring in the form of a perforated metal structure wrapped around the restaurant. The fully openable panels allow light to filter into the dining space, whilst directing views over the rooftops of west London.

The 33 build-to-rent apartments – named Knightsbridge Gardens – have been designed by Fletcher Priest with interiors by Taylor Howes. Built around a tranquil open courtyard garden, they offer a living experience in the heart of one of London’s most sought-after areas. 

Pero Maticevic, partner at Fletcher Priest Architects, said: “The nine buildings that form this site are part of the remarkable heritage of the Knightsbridge Estate extending all the way to Harrods. The buildings we restored have been a key characteristic of the Knightsbridge area for a century. By reimagining the interiors of the buildings, whilst keeping the alignment with the precious facades, we have created a collection of decidedly individual homes, truly evolved from the site’s rich history.”