No.55 Percy Place is a four storey city block over basement, comprising 12 apartments, 3 office suites and a retail unit and restaurant at ground floor level. At ground floor level the restaurant opens out onto the banks of the grand canal and a new public space has been created at street level which addresses both Percy Place and Haddington Road. The rough high aggregate finish of the bespoke seating and ground surfaces contrast against the brick veil and deep reveals of the windows and external terraces of the structure above.
This innovative mixed use development takes up the geometry of its site and remakes the street edge along Haddington road and Percy Place. The scheme itself emerged from a previous grant of permission which the architect was tasked with reconfiguring and thereby improving the scheme with the consent of the client and the local authority.
The offices and apartments are accessed via light filled cores which have a restrained palette of materials - employing marble, concrete and fluted timber wall panelling to create a dynamic circulation and transition space.
Each apartment within the block is wholly unique, floor to ceiling height glazing allows uninterrupted views and maximum penetration of natural light into each individual unit. Internal private courtyards and full width terraces provide extensive external spaces at every level and the deceptively intricate section, which creates double height spaces, split levels and roof lights creates an internal landscape of constantly shifting light and geometry. The central void spaces draw light deep into the plan and allow for meaningful spatial connections to happen across the block.
The office suites have been designed to maximise views and light. Vertical stacks of marble serve to reflect light and order space. Generous floor to ceilings heights and varied lighting arrangements contribute to the articulation of individual spaces in an open plan space.
We sought to develop a diverse mix of spaces in what is a relatively constrained city centre site. Creating a place to not only live in the city, but most importantly to live well.
