London studios AHMM and TiggColl have completed a 12-storey building near Notting Hill combining co-living and hotel stays under the same roof.
Mason & Fifth Westbourne Park is located beside the Grand Union Canal, on a site that once housed the headquarters of London’s Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association.
It is the third property for operator Mason & Fifth, a London-based brand built around the concept of flexible stays, and is its biggest to date.
Offering 322 guest studios, it functions like a traditional hotel, but offers residencies as well as short stays.
For architecture firm AHMM, this meant designing a building with plenty of space for guest amenities, while architecture and design studio TiggColl was tasked with creating interiors that feel both coherent and comfortable.
“It’s a different scale to Mason & Fifth’s previous projects, which are more intimate, so we needed to create something that works quite differently,” explained Rachel Coll, co-founder of TiggColl.
“It’s interesting when you’re thinking of short and long stay, because obviously they’re quite different in their nature. How do you get them to sit happily alongside each other?” she told Dezeen.
The development is organised around a tiered courtyard, with an exterior palette that combines brick with polished steel and green-glazed terracotta tiles.
“Our approach is informed by the local area and the site’s unique character,” said Hazel Joseph, director at AHMM.
“The city’s intensive use intersects with nature, from the creation of repaired frontages to the north using contextual forms and materials, to the unexpected yet dynamic urban courtyard at the heart of the scheme, which opens up to the south and connects the development to the waterfront.”
Communal spaces are spread across three floors, with two at the base of the building and a third at penthouse level.
Some are just for guests, while others are designed to engage with the wider west London community. The aim is for the building to become a hub for young creatives and entrepreneurs.
Facilities at street level include a generous lobby and lounge, featuring a marble reception desk and fabric ceiling, plus a dedicated area for pop-up shops and installations and a listening room.
One floor down, at canal level, a restaurant sits alongside a cinema room and a wellness suite that includes a swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, a fully equipped gym and a workout studio.
A 900-square-metre co-working space spans both levels, while a separate block hosts a programme of creative events that include art exhibitions and a monthly market.
The 10th-floor spaces have more of a homey feel, providing lounge and casual workspaces and a communal kitchen, all with views over the surrounding rooftops.
TiggColl’s interior design aims to give each space its own feel, grounded in an overall palette that combines layered textiles, glazed tiles, soft and warm tones, and plenty of natural wood.
“There’s a huge amount of amenity; our challenge was to create a distinction between each space,” said Coll.
“On the ground floors, you’ve got terraces on both levels, so it feels very much an extension to the entrance area. But there’s a progression as you move through the spaces,” she stated.
“The 10th floor feels much more private, and the views up there are amazing.”
The studios were designed by Mason & Fifth’s in-house design team, but TiggColl advised on textiles and finishes that would tie these spaces in with the rest of the building.
Textile wall hangings, wooden furniture and fabric pendant lamps add softness to spaces that incorporate kitchen facilities and plenty of storage.
“At Mason & Fifth, our projects are built around a lifestyle-first philosophy, where design, curation and community are intertwined to create spaces which inspire and connect,” added Claire McPoland, the brand’s design director.
“The interiors feature pieces from over 30 independent local brands and creatives, layering craft and handmade objects into each and every space,” she said.
The photography is by Rob Parrish unless otherwise indicated. The main image is by Adam Firman.
