The architectural metalwork department at Andy Thornton Ltd has recently completed the installation of a stunning new entrance canopy at The Rubens at the Palace, a Red Carnation Hotel in central London. Located on Buckingham Palace Road, only yards from the palace and just a short walk from Westminster Abbey, the majestic hotel, built in 1911, now has a grand entrance to match its four-star luxury status.The design brief from the hotel group’s Estates Manager Brian Brennan to Alan Soutar of LCE Architects, who worked closely with Andy Thornton on the project, was simply to replace the existing tired and rather incongruous 1960’s structure with a canopy more befitting the period of the building and its fine facade. Mr Brennan had seen a canopy he liked during a trip to Paris and was keen to commission something similar.
The resulting elliptical shaped canopy is manufactured in mild steel and aluminium and features laminated glass panels dropped into a convex metal frame, with a decorative crown and laser-cut gold-leafed name lettering. The structure has been finished in a weather-resistant epoxy powder-coat.
The complete structure was fabricated in the Andy Thornton workshops in West Yorkshire before being dismantled and transported to site for installation. The cantilevered canopy was secured to a concealed beam and hung from two wall-mounted tension rods.
Due to the hotel’s location, the canopy had to be installed with minimal disruption to guests, tourists and traffic. Despite having to work behind a restrictive wooden hoarding, the fixing team managed to install the complete structure within the two-week allocation.
Now that the canopy has been unveiled, the reaction has been incredible. The hotel finally has an entrance to match its aristocratic grandeur and one befitting its perfect location in the heart of London’s tourist attractions.
