Corinthia Hotels St George's Bay hosts "Architecture Nights"

23 November 2011

Corinthia Hotel St George’s Bay today hosted a presentation on ‘Developing a Grand Hotel for the 21st Century - the Corinthia Hotel London’, organised by the Maltese chamber of architects and civil engineers as part of its Architecture Nights programme. The event brought together local professionals and the international team that built Corinthia Hotel London.

The newly opened Corinthia Hotel London is not merely a luxurious hotel in the middle of historic Westminster. Sited on a triangular site on the corner of Northumberland Avenue, a short walk from Whitehall and Trafalgar Square, it is also a remarkable architectural and civil engineering achievement. Built on the site of the Metropole Hotel, once frequented by King Edward VII, and the adjoining 10 Whitehall Place, the project required innovative design to overcome problems associated with pre-developed city sites. During the construction, novel engineering and architectural solutions were developed and employed to meet the unique design specification.

The evening’s opening address was delivered by Chamber President Mr Vincent Cassar, who gave a brief outline of the workings of the chamber and the various activities that it organises on behalf of its members. He went on to introduce the first speaker for the evening, Mr Simon Naudi, chief executive officer of Corinthia Hotels’ business operations and an executive director on the main board of IHI, the owner, developer and operator of Corinthia Hotels.

Being responsible for business development, real estate acquisitions and developments, Simon has been involved in the London hotel project since day one. He gave a detailed insight on the tendering process and negotiations that led to the acquisition of the London property from the Crown Estate and a step-by-step account on the development of the project, from planning stage, leading to opening day.

The second speaker was Chris Edwards, director, QPM (UK) limited, who dealt with matters relating to construction phasing and sections, assignment of contracts, works programmes, project risks and mitigation, problem solving and project highlights.

Chris was followed by Ian Flewitt, partner, Price & Myers, who gave details of the original building, the challenging ground conditions encountered, construction of the courtyard structure and key techniques used to enhance space.

Finally, Edward Davies, an associate of GA Design International, used a selection of original photographs, concept work, sketches, visuals and finished photographs to illustrate the interior architecture and design of the hotel.

The event came to a close with time being allotted for questions by the audience.

-Ends-

About Corinthia Hotel London
Developed at a cost of €360 million and centrally located at Whitehall Place, the 294 room Corinthia Hotel London is an intricately restored grand hotel with a 21st century approach. Its modern elegance is defined by a blend of classic Victorian architecture with outstanding craftsmanship and contemporary art, mirroring the energy, style and history of the area.  Guests are offered all the modern luxuries whilst enjoying an authentic experience in a hotel and location with heritage. The hotel is within easy reach of London’s major historic landmarks, theatres, museums, shopping and entertainment outlets, with Leicester Square, Regents Street, Covent Garden, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament within easy walking distance. Corinthia Hotel London joins Corinthia’s family of luxury hotels in Europe and the Middle East and is quickly establishing itself as one of London’s most elegant and trendy hotels.

About Corinthia Hotels
Corinthia is a collection of hotels founded by the Pisani family of Malta. The brand remains true to its roots as a family business, fired by a passion for craftsmanship, devotion to detail and intuitive, warm service. Each of our hotels and resorts created in some of the most intriguing areas of the world is a tribute to local architecture and cultural traditions. The Corinthia portfolio includes the flagship Corinthia Hotel London, the award-winning Corinthia Hotel Budapest in Hungary, Corinthia Hotel Prague in the Czech Republic, Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg in Russia and Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Malta.  The portfolio also features Corinthia Hotel St George’s Bay in Malta, the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli in Libya, and the modern Corinthia Hotel Lisbon in Portugal.

The Corinthia Hotel brand is owned by International Hotel Investments plc., a publicly-traded company in Malta, which also acquires, develops and owns Corinthia Hotels worldwide. The management of the hotels is entrusted to a subsidiary company CHI Hotels & Resorts Limited, which provides the full range of technical assistance and management services to hotel owners worldwide. CHI is the exclusive operator of the Corinthia brand as well as the Wyndham and Ramada Plaza brands for Europe, Africa and The Middle East.  The Wyndham Hotels Group is a shareholder in CHI Hotels & Resorts.

For more information about Corinthia Hotels, please visit:

www.corinthia.com
www.facebook.com/corinthiahotels
www.twitter.com/corinthiahotels