The Academy Hotel
LONDON, UK
The Academy is composed of five landmarked 18th-century Georgian townhomes. There were many elements to consider while we re-envisioned the design of the hotel, including staircases, mouldings, and other specific architectural details. Champalimaud Design was tasked with giving this intimate hotel a modern attitude towards townhouse living. In doing so, we made a conscious effort to couple a contemporary palette with the building’s heritage and architectural details. We celebrated the hotel’s location in Bloomsbury by taking our design inspiration from the Bloomsbury Group – the influential group of writers, artists and intellectuals who lived and worked in Bloomsbury during the first half of the 20th century.
A modern attitude towards townhouse living.
Just as the Bloomsbury Group was a bridge from the Victorian era into modernity, so too did our design want to feel eclectic in its choices - a mix of traditional English, art deco, and mid-century modernist forms, but forward-looking in its attitude. We were also tasked with creating a new neighbourhood social hub for the young media and academic crowd. This led us to augment the social areas with the goal of not only making them inviting and lively but it also allowed us to knit multiple buildings of the hotel together so they would have a distinct heart.
A mix of traditional English, art deco, and mid-century modernist forms, but forward-looking in its attitude.
We were keen to celebrate the British tradition of using brightly patterned wallpapers.
We were keen to celebrate the British tradition of using brightly patterned wallpapers, so you’ll find great ones in most of the hotel. Most have lively motifs that bring humour and charm to their respective spaces – real conversation starters. We’ve maintained the hotel’s wood floors throughout to ground our schemes in the building’s history. We also employed brightly coloured paints to help add vibrancy to areas that previously felt dark, and bespoke and hand-made area rugs to add an authentic and heirloom quality to some of the areas.
