The Wingate on Shaftesbury Avenue was constructed in 1958 by renowned architects Sir John Burnet, Tait and Partners. At the time, it was called ‘an exemplar modernist office and leisure building’.
Over 60 years later, the building was given a major refresh. The refurbishment included a new lift, work to existing terraces plus new roof terraces and general upgrade works, Diespeker was commissioned by project architects Oktra to supply a poured floor for the reception area, plus matching wall cladding, treads and risers for the stairs leading into the building and flooring for the lifts. Our team also restored some of the existing terrazzo in the main stairwell.
Diespeker previously worked with Oktra to deliver a beautiful bespoke Palladiana flooring project at Berners Street W1 so we were thrilled to be invited to work on this new project in the heart of London’s theatreland. Palladiana terrazzo uses chunks of marble far larger than those used in regular terrazzo. The result is an impactful, original and contemporary look.
As with the majority of our bespoke projects, Diespeker made up several different samples before the perfect design was achieved and signed off by the client. This chosen terrazzo features large chunks of terracotta, white and black marble set within a mix of chippings which includes the distinctive blue semi-precious Lapis Lazuli. Pendulum testing was carried out on samples with varying degrees of the Lapis prior to the decision, to ensure the highest levels of slip resistance.
The resulting stylish, fun terrazzo is a superb example of integrating historic Roman traditions within a modern setting. Strip LED lighting along the top of the cladding and simple signage for the building adds a certain touch of class.
Photography: Stuart Chapman Design
Building Agents: RX London
