Breathing new life into an historical building with Roca

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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Bringing a Grade II* listed building into public use for the first time in more than 200 years, the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in central London is now open to the public, with Roca bathroom solutions being a feature of its washrooms.Giving new life to The Magazine, a former gunpowder store built in 1805, the Serpentine Sackler Gallery is situated just five minutes’ walk from the Serpentine Gallery. Featuring 900 square metres of gallery space, shop, restaurant and social space, the Serpentine’s second space in Kensington Gardens is designed by the multi award-winning Zaha Hadid Architects.

Restored to an extremely high standard in partnership with The Royal Parks, the Serpentine Sackler Gallery continues the relationship between the Gallery and Zaha Hadid Architects,
which began with the inaugural Serpentine Gallery Pavilion Commission in 2000.

This is also not the first time that the Roca Group has been involved with a Zaha Hadid project, with its Chelsea Design Quarter-based, and much-acclaimed, Roca London Gallery also bearing her design. For the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, Roca products were donated as part of the manufacturer’s long-held commitment to supporting cultural and community projects.

Roca’s Meridian-N sanitaryware was chosen to fulfill this most demanding of briefs. Inspired by functionality and geometry, Meridian-N is a fusion of classic and modern design cues, in much the same way as the Serpentine Sackler Gallery itself, being a contemporary renovation and extension of a building that is steeped in British history. The new washrooms feature Meridian-N back-to-wall WCs with soft-close seats, along with co-ordinating compact washbasins.

Overcoming issues of space with its compact design, Roca’s Meridian-N also responds to the demands of modern-day living. The range’s WC cisterns feature an efficient 4.5/3-litre water capacity, helping the Gallery minimise its negative impact on the environment and reduce its running costs.

Daniel Fountain / 07.11.2013

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.