LITTLE
ASKING PRICE: £26,000,000
PARK PLACE VILLAS
VENICE, W2
THE WISHLIST
ART & DESIGN
Isabella Watling: Portraits
Opening her first solo exhibition in St Paul's Studio in west London, classically trained artist Isabella Watling invites viewers into her creative process. Take a behind-thescenes peek into her studio, where life becomes art, above. 5-8 September isabellawatling.com
Second Life
Zoffany from Sanderson Design Group is partnering with Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) to support British craftsmanship. Sanderson, who has moved back into its original Arts & Crafts home of Voysey House in Chiswick, has maintained its Live Beautiful sustainability pledge to reimagine the lifecycle of products.
Opens 9 September zoffany.sandersondesigngroup.com
EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
Marc Quinn: Light into Life
This groundbreaking exhibition and walking tour, from contemporary artist Marc Quinn presents 17 stainless steel and bronze sculptures. Inspired by nature and science, the works will be around the gardens and in the Temperate House. Elsewhere in the Sherwood Gallery, Quinn’s new and existing paintings will be shown.
Until 29 September kew.org
Flower Festival
Find botanical splendour at the Strawberry Hill House flower festival. Designers this year will be responding to the theme Nature Unbound. Sponsored by Savills Teddington, a range of insightful talks and demonstrations are available across the weekend, pictured below 13-15 September strawberryhillhouse.org.uk/flower-festival
British Art Fair
At the Saatchi Gallery, find top dealers from across the UK, including London. Presenting top-tier modern British and contemporary art in an elegant museum-like atmosphere, visitors will find works by Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and more. 26-29 September britishartfair.co.uk
ON STAGE
Your Lie in April
The musical version of this manga favourite written by Naoshi Arakawa is running at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The story focuses on Kōsei Arima, a young piano prodigy, and his inability to play following his mother’s death and his friendship with violinist Kaori Miyazono, who slowly encourages him to perform again.
Until 21 September haroldpintertheatre.co.uk
The Lehman Trilogy
Returning to the West End is the awardwinning production of Sam Mendes’ The Lehman Trilogy in the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Actors John Heffernan, Aaron Krohn and Howard W. Overshown will be reprising their roles following the show’s run in San Francisco. Opens 24 September lwtheatres.co.uk/theatres/gillian-lynne
Hello Dolly
Watch Imelda Staunton as vocal powerhouse Dolly Levi, an iconic role that has been performed by Carol Channing, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler. Until 14 September hellodollyldn.com
Swan Lake
For the very first time the State Ballet of Georgia’s company of 70 dancers are heading to London. The production will be accompanied by the ENO Orchestra. Complete with magnificent costumes and sets, former prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili is the artistic director, above Until 8 September londoncoliseum.org
FOOD AND DRINK
Savoy Masterclass
Learn how to make beef Wellington, under the guidance of the Savoy Grill, a dish that has continued to be one of the star attractions of the restaurant within the Savoy. At the end of the class, you'll be able to tuck into a three-course bespoke menu with wine pairings. £600 per person gordonramsayrestaurants.com
KOYN Thai
The latest KOYN restaurant celebrates the flavours and culinary traditions of Thailand. Created by restaurateur Samyukta Nair with Rose Chalalai Singh, who is known for her home-style Thai cooking. Singh brings her grandmother's dishes, with a sprinkle of influence from Paris to Mayfair. koynrestaurants.com
Engel and Jang
The new space in London’s Royal Exchange combines two worlds. At The Engel Bar, find influences from 1920s Berlin, with live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Meanwhile, Jang restaurant is inspired by Japanese and Korean cuisines, below theroyalexchange.co.uk
The Park
From Jeremy King, The Park is a new world grand cafe, where modern American is on the menu. In west London’s Queensway, the tableware for the brasserie has been designed by Richard Brendon. theparkrestaurant.com L
LOOK AHEAD
NUCLEO
Gallery FUMI in Mayfair presents the debut solo exhibition of Tuscan craftsman Francesco Perini. Unveiling a new series of contemporary furniture, the collection highlights Perini’s refined marquetry and ability to inlay metal and stone into aged Tuscan oak wood. On now galleryfumi.com
KIM’S CONVENIENCE
Inspired by the hit Netflix comedy drama of the same name, this play follows the lives of a Korean-Canadian family running a convenience store in Toronto. Playwright and actor Ins Choi takes on the role of hardworking patriarch Mr Kim ("Appa"), who finds himself grappling with the changing neighbourhood. Book now kimsconvenience play.com
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR
Discover a range of works from leading galleries at the Battersea Affordable Art Fair, whether you're starting from scratch or building your collection. 16-20 October affordableartfair.com
FRESH
GREEN DAY
HOMEOWNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENERGY
EFFICIENCY ARE SHIFTING DRAMATICALLY, WITH DEMAND
FOR SUSTAINABILITY AT THE TOP OF THE LONDON MARKET REACHING A ‘WHOLE NEW LEVEL’, AS ALEXANDRA
GOSS REPORTS
London has grand plans to be a net-zerocarbon city by 2030, but the challenges to get there are significant. Almost four-fifths of carbon emissions in the capital come from its buildings, the highest share among major world cities according to a 2022 study by JLL.
More efficient new homes are becoming increasingly attractive , given both the climate emergency and the cost of living. A recent survey by Knight Frank found a fifth of buyers were looking for a new-build, up from 13% over the past three years, with more than 60% citing energy efficiency as the key reason. According to a separate JLL survey, 83% of buyers and 90% of tenants said the energy efficiency of their next home would be either crucial or important.
Shifting homeowner attitudes are helping to drive the improved energy performance of buildings, says Frederico Marques of Rodic´ Davidson Architects (rodicdavidson. co.uk). “Clients are now more aware of sustainability,” he says. “While it’s more expensive initially, more people are prepared to invest for the long-term future of their property, as well as lower energy bills in the coming years.”
This means architects are pushing the envelope to build a new generation of future-proof eco homes. Take Green House by Hayhurst & Co Architects (hayhurstand.co.uk), built on an unloved backland site of orchards and market gardens in a north London conservation area.
This five-bedroom, fossil-fuel-free home for a couple and
their two young children was designed as a contemporary, low-energy rendition of a greenhouse and has garnered multiple awards, including being named the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) House of the Year 2023 – with sustainable credentials a big reason for its triumph.
Green House is built from cross-laminated timber, left unfinished inside so it ’ ll never have to be painted, while its fac ade is planted with bamboo that reduces heat on hot days and is irrigated by a water butt on the roof terrace. There’s also an air source heat pump and solar panels – the latter keeping the house almost off-grid in summer – while the concrete breeze blocks and cork flooring are recycled.
Yet, while building sustainable new homes is one thing, it’s quite another challenge retrofitting existing buildings which, after all, make up the vast majority of our dwellings. Happily, there’s plenty of innovation on this front, too.
Camden Council ’s award-winning regeneration of the Agar Grove estate is the largest Passivhaus scheme in the country, replacing ageing 1960s blocks with modern homes that are so well constructed, insulated and ventilated that they retain heat from the sun and occupant activity, requiring very little additional heating or cooling.
“All new homes are highly efficient, using a ‘fabric first’ approach for superior energy performance, year-round comfort and up to 70% reduction in residents’ heating bills,” says Emma Harvey, associate in London residential development at JLL, which is selling
ROOTS Left: Built by Hayhurst & Co Architects on a back lane of Tottenham's Clyde Circus Conservation Area, fossil fuel-free, five-bedroom family home Green House was named RIBA's House of the Year 2023
DOWN TO EARTH Clockwise from top left: Kick back and sip sundowners around the firepit after a day’s safari at Machaba’s Kiri Camp on the Okavango Delta; a formation of dancing manta rays is a regular sighting on a BlueTribe dive in the Maldives; mix good deeds and poolside reads at Sandals’ new Saint Vincent and the Grenadines resort; overwater villas made of recycled materials are part of the commitment to responsible tourism at the Maldives’ Constance Moofushi resort
THE MALDIVES
Anne Cuthbertson, editor
You’ll never feel closer to the ocean than in the Maldives. From the moment you arrive by seaplane, gliding above sugar-soft beaches which barely break the surface of clear waters, you feel its gentle embrace.
My experience at Constance Moofushi would take me deeper still into the heart of the ocean. On our first dive with BlueTribe, we glimpsed the tips of manta wings from the boat. As we descended, we were greeted by an oceanic Cirque du Soleil of more than 60 vast manta rays, executing graceful back flips, breakfasting on clouds of fusilier fish eggs. Even our divemaster Enzo, with three decades’ experience in the area, admitted it was one of the finest displays he ’ d ever witnessed (see for yourself at bluetribemoofushi.com).
Soon I was testing my newfound skills with an underwater scooter, held at arm’s length, at the famous ‘Shark Pass’. Scooters allow divers to swim against the current and access top spots for coral and marine life. I was surprised how easy it was as I marvelled at hawksbill turtles nibbling on sponges and lazy junior reef sharks (everything in the Maldives is friendly, bar the odd triggerfish).
& SEA LAND
FROM DIVING IN THE MALDIVES AND REHABILITATING TURTLES IN THE CARIBBEAN TO A SUSTAINABLE SAFARI IN BOTSWANA, THE LONDON MAGAZINE WRITERS FIND PLANET-FRIENDLY INSPIRATION ON THEIR TRAVELS
For some of the best marine life, you need venture no further than the house reef, and it was here that I discovered Moofushi’s enduring commitment to sustainability. Elena, the resident marine biologist, takes snorkelling trips twice a week to show guests the resort’s successful coral planting scheme. Guests are encouraged to be ‘citizen scientists’ and send their underwater photos of turtles to the Olive Ridley Project, to support the Be Gentle to Giants campaign promoting responsible whale shark tourism, or to adopt a coral frame to add to the house reef’s 193-strong collection. A small change we can all make is using reef-friendly SPF which doesn’t contain harmful toxins.
Moofushi’s green credentials were evident in its thoughtful approach to everything. All restaurant fish is pole-and-line caught, as discarded ‘ghost nets’ are a danger to sea turtles and dolphins. My overwater villa, made from recycled materials, was the epitome of barefoot luxury and guests are encouraged to bag up any microplastics they find on the beach.
A 40-minute journey by speedboat is Constance Halaveli, Moofushi’s glamorous sister resort. With the third-longest jetty in the Maldives, 57 overwater villas and 30 garden villas, Halaveli is high on luxury but low on environmental impact. The fragility of this tiny island civilisation
ON THE MARKET
CLERKENWELL IS HOME TO AN ECLECTIC MIX OF GEORGIAN TOWNHOUSES, WAREHOUSE CONVERSIONS AND NEW-BUILDS
Hot property
WARNER HOUSE
A five-minute stroll from buzzing Exmouth Market, this stunning three-bedroom warehouse conversion boasts a triple-aspect living room, intelligent lighting and three terraces. Redesigned by Inside Out Architects, the space has been made brighter and more versatile with acoustic folding walls and crittall-style windows. £3.6m. Agent: savills.co.uk
FREDERICK STREET
In the heart of Kings Cross, this refreshed fivebed, five-storey Georgian terrace home has had its interiors meticulously refreshed, including a kitchen entertaining-space extension. £2.5m Agent: hamptons.co.uk
HATTON PLACE
Set in an attractive mews near Farringdon Station, this modern two-bed split-level apartment benefits from an open-plan living space, as well as a patio and terrace. £950,000 Agent: chestertons.co.uk
JONATHAN CLEWS, Sales branch director, Kinleigh Folkhard & Hayward
“Clerkenwell's charm lies in its transformation. Once a bustling industrial hub, its converted warehouses and modern architecture now offer a stylishly peaceful urban environment, ideal for those seeking a central location with a calm atmosphere.
This design hub is a regular haunt for design enthusiasts, especially during Clerkenwell Design Week. A host of highend design practices and international businesses now occupy the area, reflecting its global appeal.
Clerkenwell has historically had Italian and French communities but Farringdon’s direct connection to Heathrow Airport (Elizabeth Line) has fuelled an international transformation. We've seen a marked increase in interest from Chinese, Hong Kong and Singaporean buyers in the area.”
kfh.co.uk