Simply Abu Dhabi XXVII

1 7 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I lower ground floors devoted to art gallery space, and around £6m going towards affordable housing and big improvements to Cork Street. An investment consortium made up of Native Land, Hotel Properties Limited and Amcorp bought the prize site just behind the Royal Academy from Standard Life in 2012, with Native Land acting as development manager. The 42 residential units will have the kind of spec one would expect from the firm behind such schemes as NEO Bankside, Cheyne Terrace and 10 Montrose Place, and residents will have access to a full gamut of hotel-style luxury amenities. Reflecting its location in Mayfair’s premier destination for collectors and art connoisseurs, the development explores the concept of living in an art space and has been crafted beautifully with all the grace, elegance and light of the most inspiring gallery. Light-filled airy interiors feature tailor-made design, mixing traditional craft with superior innovation. All residences are enhanced by bespoke detailing, from the expertly-crafted door handles and joinery to the custom-made Bulthaup kitchens and bathrooms. Residents also benefit from a gym and spa offering state-of-the-art equipment. Another talking point has been the development’s use of modular units. While frequently discussed, they are still not widely used, mainly because offsite manufacture requires the design to be finalised at an earlier stage. Until recently, domestic services were simple enough to be easily installed on site, but luxury apartments have introduced to the domestic market a level of sophistication that warrants prefabrication. “When constructing these apartments, we were looking for a highly intelligent system to supply these homes with heating, ventilation, cooling and lighting control,” says Joe White, development executive at Native Land. “The modular unit, constructed in a factory offsite by Essex Services Group and installed onsite, provided the solution to that problem.” In addition to the significantly reduced installation time onsite, the modular units also offer environmental benefits and easy user functionalities, as well as eliminating the need for every apartment to have a boiler. “Not only do modular units provide advantages for the contractor and those living nearby, they are also an attractive advantage for buyers due to the increased ease of maintenance servicing,” adds White. “It would be great to see more new builds using this method.” Native Land’s public realm improvements are also the catalyst to a wider East Mayfair initiative being coordinated by Westminster City Council, which will see improvements including resurfacing, landscaping, seating and parking and loading management being made to several streets inMayfair’s luxury retail, arts and fashion district. Inspired by Mayfair’s rich cultural heritage and offering the quintessence of fine living at one the world’s most desirable addresses, Burlington Gate represents an unparalleled and outstanding blend of sophistication, craftsmanship and innovative architecture and styling.