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HOURGLASS

Where timeless ambition meets boundless possibility

Where timeless ambition meets boundless possibility

Project Brief

This project is a reinterpretation of the history of Clerkenwell, London, which combines the glamour of the Victorian era with the ingenuity of the Industrial Revolution. Located in Clerkenwell, a place rich in craftsmanship, literature, and industrial innovation, HOURGLASS revives the pioneering spirit of 19th-century London. The hotel combines historical opulence with modern, high-end hospitality, reconnecting the city with its most ambitious moments.

2025

Location

Clerkenwell, London

Size

38,000 sqft

Type

Academic Project

Category

Year

Hospitality

Overall Spaces

  • Reception & Lounge

  • Bar

  • Tunnel

    Tunnel

  • Reimagined victorian street

  • Gin lounge

  • Library

  • Gin Making

  • Screening Room

PLAN & AXON

1st Floor

1. Reception 2. Bar & lounge 3. Library 4. Tunnel 5. Restaurant

3rd Floor

1. Restaurant 2. Guestroom 3. Screening Room

2nd Floor

1. Atrium Space (Reimagined Victorian Street) 2. Gin lounge 3. Gin-making workshop 4. Library 5. Screening room

4th&5th Floor

1. Guestroom

Material Strategy

TIMELESS, LAYERED, LUSH

Brass, copper, and rich walnut convey a timeless elegance rooted in Clerkenwell’s industrial past. Layered textures like velvet, leather, and wall coverings build depth and warmth. Inspired by Victorian greenhouses, glasswork and greenery add a lush, organic contrast blending heritage with refined modernity.

Design Principle

Victorian Garden

Industrial Ingenuity & Craftsmanship

Design Strategy

Dreamy, Inviting, Discovery

Reimagined Victorian Street

The hotel is structured to provide a layered guest experience with three main themes

Intimate, Nostalgic, Intellectural

Gin Culture

Tranquil, Indulgent, blooming

RECEPTION

The reception lounge reimagines a Victorian glass garden. Floral chandeliers, wall coverings, and layered greenery create a dreamy, intimate mood. A soft transition through the tunnel leads guests deeper into a world of the Victorian era's mysterious, surreal charm.

LOUNGE BAR

The bar evokes a dreamy and inviting glasshouse atmosphere layered with greenery, rich textures, and soft backlit ceilings. It’s a space of warmth and quiet discovery, where patterns and plants create a sense of depth and wonder.

Reimagined Victorian Street Day

Indoor courtyard reimagines a tranquil Victorian street, where cascading greenery, vintage street lamps, and ornate railings create a romantic, indulgent escape immersed in blooming serenity.

Reimagined Victorian Street Night

Contrasting with the bright indoor courtyard, this dark, enclosed reimagined Victorian street sets a moody tone with cobblestone floors, warm lighting, and rich wooden facade. Each storefront invites guests into an intimate, nostalgic world. A sanctuary of knowledge, craft, and creativity.

Gin Workshop & Screening Room

Inspired by gin’s origins as a medicinal remedy, the workshop area weaves apothecary nostalgia with wooden arches and marble surfaces, creating a warm, richly immersive environment that evokes curiosity and the quiet magic of craft.