Whiteleys

The Whiteley is Foster + Partners’ transformation of the Grade II-listed Whiteleys department store in Bayswater, restoring the building’s original 1911 facade, dome and grand staircase while converting the 1 million sq ft interior into 139 residences, the UK’s first Six Senses hotel and a new public courtyard.

Delivered by Laing O’Rourke for developer MARK, much of the structure behind the retained facade was rebuilt from scratch, with components such as core walls and bespoke facade elements manufactured offsite before being transported to Bayswater for assembly. During the works, a bespoke fire-compartmentation system had to be designed specifically to accommodate the unusually large amount of structural movement built into the new design.