Formerly Winston Churchill’s World War II headquarters, and the site of inspiration for the James Bond novels, the Old War Office has since entered its latest chapter as a luxury hotel – with Schlüter-Systems’ expert waterproofing…
Originally designed by British architect, William Young, the transformation from former Old War Office into The OWO has been overseen by the award-winning EPR Architects. Their vision was “to preserve the historical features of The OWO, whilst creating a contemporary design with modern-day innovations,” says Geoff Hull, Director at EPR.
The attention to detail and meticulous craftsmanship applied during the transformation required the use of reliable waterproofing materials behind the scenes.
Tile and stone protection expert Schlüter-Systems supplied a comprehensive selection of waterproofing solutions. In addition to The OWO Residences by Raffles, which are designed for grand living and entertaining by interior designers 1508 London and the penthouse suite which was designed by Winch, Schlüter products have also been specified and installed in the 120 hotel rooms and in The Guerlain Spa.
Image credit: Schlüter-Systems
For each of the hotel’s bathrooms to confidently meet the demands of such a prestigious project, a complete system of waterproofing products was used, including the tileable backerboard Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD, which creates an even and load bearing substrate for which to tile directly onto.
To ensure complete waterproof protection, the accompanying sealing products KERDI-KEBA, KERDI-FIX and KERDI-COLL-L create a secure barrier against any water ingress over potential weak points such as screw penetrations and connections. Using a complete waterproofing system from a single manufacturer offers total peace of mind as all the components are designed to work together effectively.
To complete the shower area, the KERDI-LINE-H 50 G2 linear drain and KERDI-SHOWER tray allows for the continuation of the covering material across the entire shower area surface whilst offering a near-invisible drainage aesthetic.
The interior design of The Guerlain Spa was created by Goddard Littlefair and features nine treatment rooms, a 20-metre pool, and an eight-metre vitality pool. Two layers of Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD were used to construct the walls alongside the pool, which was then clad in stone. The stone was meticulously mitred, and the edges polished by stone contractor EDM, for a beautifully textured focal point that is sure to create a wow-factor with guests who are lucky enough to experience a visit here.
The rejuvenation of this historical building will no doubt be appreciated by residents, hotel guests and visitors for a very long time.
Schlüter-Systems is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: Schlüter-Systems
