‘Quintessentially English, but with modern luxuries’ – why rich Chinese investors love luxury homes in historic London buildings
Adapting old buildings isn’t just a sustainable option – it offers developers the chance to craft unique homes steeped in history, as seen at Gasholders London, Twenty Grosvenor Square and 13-19 Leinster Square
Adaptive reuse of significant older buildings is not only a more sustainable alternative to demolition and redevelopment, it also enables cities to retain their inherent character.
In the luxury residential sector, visionary developers are crafting homes that are brand new inside, with a restored heritage facade – giving buyers the best of both worlds, often in a prime inner-city location.
In London, such properties may also come with a rich and storied past – as is the case with Twenty Grosvenor Square, a historic landmark in affluent Mayfair, now home to the world's first stand-alone Four Seasons Private Residences.
Once the headquarters of US Naval forces in Europe, where General Dwight D. Eisenhower orchestrated the D-Day landings during the second world war, the property has been transformed into 37 exclusive residences with the high-touch service and amenities of the Four Seasons hospitality brand.
Behind the retained historical facade of Grosvenor Square – once also home to royalty, prime ministers, actors, musicians and artists – residents can indulge in a lifestyle that incorporates private wine cellars, a spa with a 25-metre swimming pool, a treatment suite with a steam room and sauna, state-of-the-art gym, games room, cinema, business suite, crèche, garden library and private landscaped courtyard.
The flats, in three-, four- and five-bedroom configurations, are inspired by the building's historic past and include design features such as elegant classical drawing rooms, soaring ceilings, media rooms, family and professional kitchens, and separate access for staff as well as valet parking.
Alex Michelin, co-founder of Finchatton, the property development and design firm which partnered with Four Seasons on the project, says it offers unique possibilities.
“Our building has the enviable position of being located in one of the finest and most famous squares anywhere in the world – Grosvenor Square. As such, we felt it vital to honour that heritage and keep the facades of the building, which are so characterful and so in keeping with London and Mayfair,” he says.