United Designers fills Starck gap

The Canary Riverside consortium has appointed United Designers, without a pitch, to create interiors for its luxury hotel in London Docklands. Further down the line the group may also brand the hotel.

United Designers has taken over the project from French designer Philippe Starck, who was appointed by the client consortium to create interiors and exteriors for the development.

However, Starck said in a statement that he has decided not to proceed with the scheme.

Starck’s Egyptian temple-style exteriors, featuring sloping walls and a copper cornice, will be retained.

United Designers will work on interiors for the entire hotel, which will include restaurants and bars and cover seven floors. Design details are still sketchy.

“The hotel will be aimed at the thousands of people who come in and out of Canary Wharf – business people, media types, bankers and so on,” says United Designers creative director Keith Hobbs. The hotel is, as yet, unnamed.

“It depends on who the operator is and that hasn’t been decided yet. If it is an independent operator, we will work on the name and branding of the hotel as well [as the interiors]. If it is a known operator, it will already have a brand and that will be implemented,” adds Hobbs.