Page 33 - Sphere No.15 (Nov 2005)

Mail on Sunday Design Awards 2005.
Suddenly, the South Bank is very
much in fashion. Boosted by opulent
developments such as Albion Riverside,
only a 10 minute walk from the shop-
ping mecca of King’s Road, the South
Bank today is emerging as a new oasis of
culture and style.
The sales figures speak volumes for
Albion Riverside. No flashy advertising
campaign or marketing gimmicks were
needed in high society London where
word of mouth is far more effective.
The flats sold very well, attracting
celebrities such as Oscar-winning com-
poser Leslie Bricusse, golfer Colin
Montgomerie and several members of
the Chelsea soccer team.
Around 75 per cent of the apartments
have so far been bought by UK buyers,
with the remaining going to overseas buy-
ers, Hong Kong included. It goes without
saying that the feng shui is excellent.
If you have the cash, the going rate for
the largest penthouse duplex, which has
up to six bedrooms, has been priced at a
whopping GBP10 million. Those who can
afford such luxury will remain under the
Lord Foster spell long after they have gone
home and shut the front door. Everything,
from the layout of each apartment,
bespoke bathrooms and kitchens down to
even the lighting and the door handles,
were designed by Lord Foster’s team.
The strong aesthetics aside, every
home is also equipped with smart tech-
nology, which makes available a whole
new world of cutting-edge remote con-
trol options. They can even be accessed
via the Internet or a mobile phone when
you are away from home. “The control
panel allows you to remotely control
lighting and audio, as well as other types
of functions within the
flat,” said Dr Ho.
Inside, a massive en-
trance hall leads visitors to
a majestic staircase that
takes them up to a glazed
cloister running the length
of the building, giving
access to four lifts and a
private riverside garden. Residents can
also make use of an impressive health
and leisure centre, and a 20-metre
indoor pool.
Meanwhile, the retail space has
attracted the likes of major art dealer
Michael Hue-Williams and his spectac-
ular Albion Gallery is a major attraction
emphasising the cultural shift away
from London’s West End. On the more
conventional retail front, elite kitchen
and bathroom outfitters, Alternative
Plans, have joined a leading personal
training facility in the complex.
Other exciting retail opportu-
nities are on the way, including
discussions about the opening of
a leading restaurant that could
take up 6,500 square feet of floor
space. “We are negotiating the contract
now. It is taking a little bit longer than
expected because as it is a restaurant, the
restaurateur is being very careful to
ensure the kitchen and designs are what
he wants,” Dr Ho said. “I
hope the deal will be
announced very soon.”
It would be wrong to
suggest that Albion
Riverside is a compound
created just for the wealthy.
As part of a new planning
commitment to the local
community, the mixed-use development
has two other buildings. A low-rise
apartment building caters for profession-
al key workers such as nurses and teach-
ers, while Hutchison Whampoa has its
European headquarters in another sepa-
rate low-rise office building on the same
site, putting all its European operations
including Ports, 3G, Properties and
Watsons under one roof.
If Hutchison continues to take up
projects on such a scale and employs
the same sense of adventure, there is no
doubt it will change not just the physi-
cal landscape of historical neighbour-
hoods but also challenge cultural per-
ceptions about them.
“While traditionally focusing on devel-
oping residential properties in prime
London locations, we are also look-
ing at developing retail and office
space,” said Patrick Leung, General
Manager, Hong Kong Develop-
ment and Marketing, Hutchison
Whampoa Properties. “In addition
to London, the company is also
looking at other big cities in the UK
as well as seeking out properties in
other countries.”
The lap of luxury: interior
shots of the award-winning
Albion Riverside;
Opposite page: The develop-
ment has the perfect
riverside location.
The building
has set a new
standard for
urban living
S PHERE 31