Dorsett Hotel

This building in west London has a long and chequered history. Built in 1923 as a cinema and then heavily damaged in bombing raids during the war, it was restored and reopened as a bingo hall and remained in use until 2001. It then stood empty for many years and was on the verge of falling into disrepair before being discovered by investors, who funded an ambitious restoration programme to transform it into a 4-star hotel with 320 rooms. Aside from a few listed, historic sections of the façade, the old walling was almost completely torn down. This commanding building has preserved many elements of the original building, such as the classic Edwardian style, the design of the façade, brickwork employed as the primary façade material and the curved form of the roof refl ecting the building’s original, historic character. The roof is now completely glazed. The glass surfaces under the cupola are clad in brick-red, terracotta baguettes positioned in a lamellar arrangement. These provide shade for the interior but do not obstruct the splendid view across Shepherds Bush Green, a triangular area of parkland covering around 3.5 hectares on the opposite side of the street. The ceramic elements follow the rounded and curved forms of the roof. This construction project has resulted in an exciting building with a nostalgic.