21 Young Street Project by shaunleane2

21YOUNGSTREET.COM

A N E W V I S I O N O F K E N S I N G TO N

This is our Kensington Monograph. A celebration of 21 Young Street and its place within the vibrant neighbourhood of London’s finest Royal Borough. Kensington’s newest address, 21 Young Street, provides 53 beautiful apartments and townhouses from Grainger, one of the country’s largest residential property companies, established in 1912. Each home is individually crafted inside and out to the highest specification, set around a tranquil private courtyard and moments from London’s oldest residential square.

Computer generated image, 21 Young Street entrance

CONTENTS

P.02 The people of Kensington P.06 Welcome to the Royal Borough By Tom Stacey

P.10 The parks of Kensington By Ian Ross

P.16 The art of Kensington By Nathan Clements–Gillespie

P.20 The food of Kensington

By Sally Clarke, Baton Berisha, Raphael François, David Chevalier & Richard Gladwin

P.26 The fashion of Kensington By Lisa Redman

P.32 The history of the Square By David Walters

P.38 The House of Shaun Leane By Shaun Leane & Vivienne Becker

P.44 The 21 Young Street exterior By Russell Pedley

P.50 The Kensington experience By Martin Ballard

P.56 The 21 Young Street interior By Matthew Ratsma

P.76 The finer details

By Richard Luffingham

P.82 The craftmanship & quality By Chris Fletcher & Chris Brammall

P.86 Floor plans P.96 The Kensington partnership By David Walters

P.98 Location

C O N T R I B U TO R S

Tom Stacey Author Prize–winning author and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Tom Stacey is best known as a writer and roving correspondent. His adventurous life has gifted us his extraordinary tales, but it is his role as custodian of Kensington’s oldest property, Clementi House, that brings him to the Monograph of Kensington.

T H E P E O P L E O F K E N S I N G TO N

Authors of 21 Young Street Kensington is as much about legacy and tradition as it is about its generosity in welcoming in the new. Capturing a sense of place is like a golden hour. Moments we collect and create, stories that reveal our history and shape our future, sparking connections. Meet the contributors, the artisans, curators and craftspeople defining Kensington future, past and present. A tale to tell by those who know and love it best.

Physical Energy statue, Kensington Gardens

Once a park ranger, now Parks Manager for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Ian curates and manages our experience of Kensington’s 28 parks and open spaces. His stewardship of the Royal Borough covers both the unique and the historic – an encouragement to every visitor to walk in and discover the green space.

Nathan Clements–Gillespie Director, Art16

Sally Clarke Founder & Chef, Clarke’s

Born and raised in Italy, it’s a little too easy to say that art runs through Nathan Clements– Gillespie’s blood. Oxford and Sorbonne educated, Nathan has worked with art all over the world. First with the Penny Guggenheim collection in Venice, followed by the Peter Freeman gallery in New York, then on to MACRO in Rome. This is his first year as Director of Art16 at Kensington Olympia.

Sally Clarke, MBE, opened Clarke’s Restaurant on Kensington Church Street in 1984, one of the first chefs of the time to offer daily–changing menus and her now famous no choice set dinner. A shop next door followed soon after, along with a wholesale bakery business and her first book. Awarded an MBE in 2009 for services to the hospitality industry, Sally works every day within the restaurant, shop, bakery and production kitchen.

Baton Berisha Head of Restaurant Operations, The Ivy Kensington Brasserie

Raphael François Chef Patron, Launceston Place

Baton Berisha’s career has seen him work his magic at Fortnum & Mason before joining The Ivy Collection. Looking after a staff of 125 and up to 3,500 covers a week; Baton is ensuring The Ivy Kensington Brasserie takes centre stage in The Ivy Collection’s newest neighbourhood.

02 — 03

Ian Ross Parks Manager, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Recently installed as Chef Patron at the helm of Michelin starred restaurant Launceston Place, Raphael brings extensive culinary knowledge straight from his tenure as executive chef of Le Cirque in New York and Executive Chef at The Connaught hotel, where he worked alongside his mentor, Hélène Darroze, when Hélène Darroze at The Connaught gained two Michelin stars.

THE PEOPLE OF KENSINGTON

David Chevalier General Manager, Kitchen W8

Richard Gladwin Co–owner & Manager, The Shed

David Chevalier is the restaurant manager every Michelin starred restaurant should have at the tiller. He brings his ethos of friendly, informal service to this neighbourhood eatery, proving that year after year Kitchen W8 is worthy of its reputation, Michelin star and always–warm welcome.

Richard Gladwin co–owns and manages The Shed in Kensington and Rabbit in Chelsea restaurants with his brothers. Before opening The Shed, Richard worked in top restaurants and vineyards around the world. The brothers are absolutely passionate about no wastage cooking and ‘what grows together goes together,’ to create sustainable, delicious British cuisine.

Lisa Redman Fashion Designer

David Walters Development Director, Grainger PLC

Matthew Ratsma Founder & Practice Principal, MMM Architects

David first identified the opportunity in Kensington and has curated the 21 Young Street project from its inception. Under his stewardship, the project has evolved, winning its first award in 2014, without having yet been built.

Specialising in very serious homes for the HNW individual, including the top 50 earners in the world, MMM generates a certain type of product. What they bring in is a set of stylistic principles to imbue character and give a sense of substance, something much more tangible than just, ‘this looks nice’. MMM branding speaks to you with a design line that runs though their work.

Shaun Leane Jeweller & Designer

Vivienne Becker Author & Historian

For over a decade, Shaun Leane has redefined the standard of British jewellery design. Fusing innovation with exquisite craftsmanship, he has created some of the most admired jewellery masterpieces of the 21st century. 21 Young Street marks a new legacy as the first moment he brings his unique vision into the public realm.

Vivienne Becker is a London– based jewellery historian, journalist and author of many books on the history of jewellery design. She is a Contributing Editor to the Financial Times’ How To Spend It magazine, collaborates with publications around the world and lectures and broadcasts regularly on her subject.

Chris Fletcher Head of Development Delivery, Grainger PLC

Chris Brammall Director & Founder, Chris Brammall Ltd

To Chris Fletcher, turning plans into a real building demands a huge amount of technical detail before a spade goes into the ground. As Head of Development Delivery, he looks after every conceivable element, covering site logistics, detailed design and component assembly; contractor procurement and construction.

Chris Brammall is one of the leading architectural and sculptural metalworkers in Great Britain. His portfolio of award– winning iconic works can be found in public spaces across the UK. As both an artist and designer, Chris has a natural passion for the art of metalwork and uses traditional and modern methods to realise his vision in creating bespoke works of art.

Lisa Redman’s bespoke occasionwear is for women who know their wardrobes and want classic pieces, technically and beautifully made. Having trained under Betty Jackson, Lisa worked with Betsey Johnson, Anthony Symons and Calvin Klein before being Elspeth Gibson’s assistant, and setting up her own–name atelier in 2007.

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Richard Luffingham Senior Development Surveyor, Grainger PLC Richard has worked on 21 Young Street since the beginning. He brings his design background to the nuts and bolts of the project, leading teams through the development process, design, building specifications and much, much more.

Russell Pedley Director & Architect, Assael As co–founder of Assael, this award–winning architect has been shaping the built environment for over 30 years. Alongside his years as an architect, Russell’s experience in urban design focuses on a strong passion for creating a sense of place, with historical and cultural connections, in all of his award–winning work.

Martin Ballard Head Concierge, Claridge’s For the last 30 years, Martin Ballard has been at the heart of life at one of London’s most alluring five–star institutions, Claridge’s Hotel. A Londoner born and bred, he knows first hand that success lies in the details. And with his encyclopaedic knowledge of London past and present, his tenure as Head Concierge makes him our go–to gentleman of the hour.

W E L C O M E TO T H E R OYA L B O R O U G H

ARCHITECTURE steeped in history By Tom Stacey Author

Our big family house in Kensington Church Street, Clementi House, a designated Historic House today, a mere being in 1737, a mere four decades after the completion of Kensington Palace for Queen Mary (Stuart) and William of Orange, in a piece of verdant woodland and pasture now known as Kensington Gardens.

ur daring builder Richards Gittins, of St Paul’s, had erected four houses in an unprecedented row at the highest point of Church Lane, winding up the hill from the scattered village of Kensington’s little 14th century church to the tollgate on the Oxford Road at Notting Hill, on a strip of land bought from the Craven family’s estate. Nobody bought them: the receiver took over. Our ‘High Row’, Church Lane, was surrounded by the meadows and copses of the Sheffield family estate to the south and Holland to the west (comprising today’s Holland Park). The nearest piece of contiguous London was Tyburn (today’s Marble Arch), then notorious as the site every Saturday of public hangings, a spectacle which pulled the crowds, with the manacled condemned to be seen rattling down Oxford Street in open carriages to the place of execution. Another finger of dwellings had reached as far as today’s Kensington Square. The Hanoverian monarchs made Kensington Palace their principal London home and the focus of high society as a site of balls and festivities.

George II’s Queen Caroline filled it with fine art, and lake–scaped the region with water, including the Serpentine (fed by the Tyburn and the Westbourne), the Round Pond and a lake, now infilled, immediately below the Palace. And there the Princess Alexandrina Victoria was born in 1819 to the Duchess of Kent, to grow up in the Palace and succeed to the throne in 1837 as Queen Victoria.

“The Hanoverian monarchs made Kensington Palace their principal London home and the focus of high society as a site of balls and festivities.” By then our house had become, in the second and third decades of the 19th century, home of the illustrious Roman–born musician Muzio Clementi, Father of the Pianoforte, in the words of his plaque in Westminster Abbey (where he lies), and ancestor of a progeny of numerous Clementis, variously distinguished in British life. Kensington Square Garden, Kensington Square

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W E L C O M E T O T H E R OYA L B O R O U G H

“Expanding London embraced us entirely during the 19th century, fronting us on Kensington Church Street when the glorious St Mary Abbots, with the tallest spire base–to–pinnacle in London, replaced the old village church in 1869.”

By Tom Stacey Author

e were then ‘No 1 High Row, Kensington Gravel Pits’, since from around 1810 several acres immediately to the east of our High Row private gardens the gravel subsoil was imaginatively exploited by a Bond Street jeweller named Orme who did a deal with Tsar Alexander I of Russia to infill the marshes around his expanding capital St Petersburg with Kensington gravel. Flush with roubles, Orme dashed his Tsar and the land on which the Russian embassy stands today, and the tentative little streets across the road got named after St Petersburg and Moscow. Orme got an eponymous square. The Clementis had been followed here by the composer William Horsley and his family which, from 1830, hosted the ardently anglophile young Felix Mendelssohn on his frequent London sojourns… and hence Paganini, Chopin, Bellini and Joseph Joachim, whose supreme mastery of the violin made him the arbiter of playability of the fiddle concertos of his contemporaries from Brahms to Dvořàk. Meanwhile, Mendelssohn and the Horsleys had been performing music in the first floor drawing room, including an opera by the 13 year–old Sophie Horsley starring Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

The Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens 08 — 09

Brunel was to marry her sister Mary, and was duly painted by Sophie’s brother John Callcott Horsley, soon to become celebrated as the archetypal Victorian ‘subject painter’. His son Victor, trepanning the skulls of live dogs and monkeys in what is now our dining room, would become the (knighted) pioneer of brain surgery. High Row’s artistic heritage was perpetuated by my wife Caroline’s internationally exhibited sculpture, done in the studio John Horsley built for himself overlooking the garden in 1841, and by Lucian Freud coming to live four doors along High Row until his departure for a higher or a lower realm in 2011. Expanding London embraced us entirely during the 19th century, fronting us on Kensington Church Street when the glorious St Mary Abbots, with the tallest spire base–to– pinnacle in London, replaced the old village church in 1869. When the Meiji Emperor sent a shipload of flowering Japanese cherry trees to Queen Victoria in 1890, Her Majesty had the Bishop Kensington glorify the just completed Brunswick Gardens and Palace Gardens Terrace with amazing blossoms every Eastertide since.

St Mary Abbots would become the favoured place of worship of Princess Diana. She followed generations of the Royal Family in making Kensington Palace her home after Victoria’s establishment of Buckingham Palace as her iconic London site. It was home to Victoria’s sixth child, the handsome Louise (1848–1939) who lived on there after her painful marriage with her Scottish aristocrat left her childless. Louise, a gifted artist, made the life– size 1885 marble of her mother, crowned and sceptred, fronting the east face of the Palace. Sitter and portraitist were in mutual dislike (Victoria ruthlessly disapproving of Louise’s affair with her art–master Edgar Boehm). Louise cared for Kensington, founding a children’s hospital just off Ladbroke Grove, today’s Princess Louise Nursing Home. She saw the Borough accorded its Royal title in 1902. In our family’s Kensington half– century, the Palace was to become Princess Margaret’s family home with Lord Snowden, and of various kin (Gloucesters and Prince Michael of Kent) – a period in which the social desirability of the Borough has overtaken pre–War Mayfair’s.

T H E PA R K S O F K E N S I N G TO N

STEPS AWAY from parks & beautiful spaces By Ian Ross Parks Manager, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The Long Water, Kensington Gardens 1 0 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 11

THE PARKS OF KENSINGTON

All the Royal Borough’s green spaces are an inviting place for everyone – it’s a constant stream of life. People come to walk, sit, read and exercise. There are tourists, families and dog walkers, locals having picnics, people out for their lunch hour, escaping from the bustle of the street.

here are 28 parks and open spaces managed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, of which Holland Park is the largest; then there are pocket parks across the Borough. Some are unique and quite historic, but the best way to discover their intricacies is to walk them yourself. There’s something different to discover in every one. I like the mornings, when Holland Park is at its most quiet. I generally walk in so coming through here in the morning you just see the odd dog walker and get absorbed in the tranquillity. It’s an oasis of green in one of the most built up areas of London. You can spend 10–15 minutes without getting near the road, so it’s big enough to explore. We’ve become a destination park, in particular the Kyoto Garden. Then there are tennis courts, the sports field, a golf driving range and free outdoor gym, two children’s playgrounds and an ecology centre. You’ll often have schools visit the park to go into the protected woodland and pond dip or mini–beast hunt – it’s pretty unique to have a tract of woodland in such an urban setting.

If we have guests visiting, we tend to take them to Holland Park. It’s a showpiece that’s got that wow factor. What I love about Holland Park in particular is that you’ve still got a lot of old–school horticultural practices. We have a team of 17 gardeners who look after it, seven days a week. There’s always someone here, tending to the park. One of the most spectacular parts is the Dutch garden, planted this year to commemorate the Queen’s 90th birthday in colours of red, white and blue. It’s almost an oasis of horticultural best practice here as in other areas we’re having to put in more drought–tolerant plants to match the changing seasons. This is one of those jobs where you can influence people’s lives for the better through their surroundings. From the older generations to the youngest ones, everyone can come to our parks. We get to have a positive impact.

By Ian Ross Parks Manager

“I like the mornings, when Holland Park is at its most quiet. I generally walk in so coming through here in the morning you just see the odd dog walker and get absorbed in the tranquillity.”

Queen’s Tower, Imperial College, South Kensington 12 — 13

THE PARKS OF KENSINGTON

The Round Pond, Kensington Gardens 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 15

T H E A R T O F K E N S I N G TO N

A PLACE OF INSPIRATION & LEARNING

By Nathan Clements–Gillespie Director, Art16 at Kensington Olympia Serpentine Sackler Gallery, Kensington Gardens 16 — 17

THE ART OF KENSINGTON

Art completely changes the energy of a place. With so many galleries to discover, from Thackeray Street to Holland Street, the tucked away mews to our country’s grandest cultural spaces in Kensington, you might discover an emerging artist or an established master. Art here is the opportunity to travel the world, without leaving your home or neighbourhood.

1 — Art16, Kensington Olympia. 2 — Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore. 3 — Mao, by Andy Warhol, 1973. Exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery.

ensington’s rich cultural history is ingrained in the fabric of the Borough. I’m delighted to be contributing to this history by bringing Art16 to Olympia for the fourth year. London’s global art fair welcomes not only established collectors but By Nathan also new buyers and lovers Clements–Gillespie of contemporary art. The art Director, Art16 here brings people together from every corner of the world and, like a high–energy collider, ideas are bounced back and forth to create something truly unique. Alongside well known artists such as Damien Hirst and Polly Morgan, Kensington visitors discover artists they would not otherwise encounter – and often those who work outside the western canon – presented in one of the city’s most beautiful and historic venues. Olympia isn’t just an exhibitions venue, it is a living, beating part of Kensington. Bounded by the Design Museum, the Serpentine Galleries and the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Borough has consistently been at the forefront of London’s cultural scene. Nestled next to the Royal Albert Hall is the Royal College of Art, where the next generation of artists can’t help but take inspiration from Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Whether you’re a tourist popping in to the Serpentine Galleries to escape the rain, or a young child fascinated by the great hall of the Natural History Museum, there is a dynamic and eccentric spirit, intrinsic to the area.

4 — Rock on Top of Another Rock, Fischli/Weiss, 2010. Exhibited at the Serpentine Gallery. 5 — Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road.

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“I searched all over London to find the right location and concentrated on Kensington in particular as I felt it had so much potential. There is such diversity in this part of London – locals who have lived here for years, residents who have come from the Continent, the USA or Scandinavia.”

T H E F O O D O F K E N S I N G TO N

The Arbiters of Good Taste We take pleasure from food, from dining. Restaurants are like friends; we expect certain things from them. Kensington is a unique London village, a place to get stars and stripes in a good square mile. Starched linen lunches and bountiful burgers, this is a neighbourhood that takes its pleasure well, but it doesn’t take it lightly. This is our Kensington on a plate.

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CLARKE’S

124 Kensington Church Street, W8 4BH 10 minute walk from 21 Young Street

hen I came back from working in California to London 30–odd years ago, good restaurants were few and far between. It was rare to see seasonally changing menus; some restaurants didn’t change theirs for a whole year. I brought back daily changing menus and it was quite extraordinary at the time. Every lunch, every dinner, every day – we still adhere to that now. We offer only what’s best and freshest from the market on that day – basically a ‘no choice’, perfectly balanced menu. Back then it was a gamble but it worked – we became very popular, very quickly, because people were drawn to us for the simplicity and honesty of the menus. It’s still a joy for me to look at what we’ve had delivered and create a new and fresh menu around what’s come in. I see it as how one would cook in the home, picking something in the garden, choosing what’s best in the farmer’s market and presenting it to the family – in many ways what we’re trying to do here. It’s very village–y here. When I opened in 1984 this was very much seen as an ‘antiques street’, with a wonderful variety of clients, especially from Japan who came to us after they’d done their buying. The street has changed, and I think for the better. There’s Marchant of course, estate agents and quirkier antique dealers, but there’s a lovely mix of boutique shops, and then of course Huntsworth Wine. If you’re stocking a cellar or

grabbing a bottle to take to supper he always has something quirky and interesting. I searched all over London to find the right location and concentrated on Kensington in particular as I felt it had so much potential. There is such diversity in this part of London – locals who have lived here for years, residents who have come from the Continent, the USA or Scandinavia. There are young and old – families, artists, writers and filmmakers. Our style of service, ambience and daily changing menus suits so many different people – whether you’re out for a quick snack or a five– course meal with fabulous wines. We welcome everyone, and I hope that over the 30 years we’ve built up a reputation of offering value for money.

Not just what is on the plate, but how we set the tables, display the dining room with beautiful art on the walls, even to picking rosemary sprigs from the little garden to garnish a plate. Ours is simple, delicious food, smacking of the season. It’s a lovely business to be in. By Sally Clarke Founder, Clarke’s

THE FOOD OF KENSINGTON

T H E I V Y K E N S I N G TO N B R A S S E R I E

THE SHED

96 Kensington High Street, W8 4SG 3 minute walk from 21 Young Street

122 Palace Gardens Terrace, W8 4RT 12 minute walk from 21 Young Street

he Ivy, as we know it, will be 100 years old next year. It opened its doors in West Street in 1917 and, from the very beginning, has been one of London’s most recognisable and best–loved restaurants. Folk have flocked to The Ivy not only for its wonderful service and lively atmosphere, but also for the timeless food, meticulously sourced and served. At the newly–opened The Ivy Kensington Brasserie, the Ivy classics are instantly recognisable. The shepherd’s pie is a ‘must’ and the burger a valid reminder that simple often hits the spot where nothing else will do. Other dishes include the crisp and golden chicken Milanese, the aromatic duck curry and the perfectly spiced steak tartare. Demand is high for these dishes. The idea was to take our values and the identity of The Ivy and make it more accessible. Having a high street presence in a prominent area felt like a natural progression for us and we’re very much a reflection of our neighbourhood here. When you open somewhere new, and especially in a neighbourhood like Kensington, you absolutely have to prove your worth, and we feel part of the neighbourhood already. We’re quite unique on the high street. There are either Michelin starred restaurants or very casual eating places, and our guests can come in and feel relaxed in the knowledge they’re going to get certain quality without being fussy.

“We endeavour to be as versatile as possible for our customers and, we hope, have created a space where people will feel welcome, be well fed and watered and leave with a smile on their faces!”

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“ I think people can relate in Kensington to the farm feel of the restaurant. Take our ground elder pesto. Served with our lamb, ground elder will quite literally take over your garden in the countryside if you let it.”

W We had regulars in the first four days of opening – one couple made six reservations. There’s a constant thrum of people. When you walk in on a sunny morning you get a nice vibe of the breakfast service. Lunch and dinner here are charming as tables often know each other, but if I had to choose a favourite part of the day for me, it’s when it’s dusk outside, just going into dinner service. Ours is an old–school hospitality, one where we genuinely care about the guests. Warm hospitality and deliverable humility. It’s human nature isn’t it? Everyone wants to be recognised and looked after. Lots of our guests tell me they’ve been coming to The Ivy for 30 years, and now new generations are springing up. With many of our guests already living and working in the area, they bring their friends and extended family on the weekend.

We endeavour to be as versatile as possible for our customers and, we hope, have created a space where people will feel welcome, be well fed and watered and leave with a smile on their faces!

By Baton Berisha Head of Restaurant Operations

e were brought up in a vineyard and smallholding in West Sussex, and from day one our parents got us out on the land, turning us into very practical young guys. My parents were both chefs, so we grew up with a large vegetable garden and animals. I turned into a restaurant manager, Oliver had a passion for cooking and the great outdoors and Gregory didn’t want to do anything but be a farmer. One school holiday when he was 15, he took all his money, went into the village and bought 16 sheep from a bloke in the pub. His career absolutely started from that point and he hasn’t ever looked back. The Shed was decided on over Christmas dinner 2011. The three of us had snuck out into the greenhouse where we kept a hidden barrel of beer, and we agreed that 2012 was when we were going to open a restaurant together, came back and announced it over the table. I always wanted to be here. I was aware The Shed was a bit of a landmark and I just loved the legacy, it was quirky and little, and achievable for the two of us to run day to day. Very simply, we’re a friendly neighbourhood restaurant serving great food, we want it to be somewhere that if you lived nearby you feel very

lucky to dip in and out of as you can use the place for every type of dining. With our childhood, we were always going to have a farm feel, with an emphasis on foraging and wild food, using seasonal ingredients week in, week out. We offer something exciting and fun – it’s good to challenge your guests a bit. Our menu is separated into slow and fast cooking, and my favourite dish – one that’s stayed on the menu since the first moment – is The Shed Lamb Chips, from our own sheep. I think people can relate in Kensington to the farm feel of the restaurant. Take our ground elder pesto. Served with our lamb, ground elder will quite literally take over your garden in the countryside if you let it. Ladies were coming in, telling me that they were so shocked, having spent all this time fighting it – when they could have been serving it. We always relate our food back to what’s growing. Saturday night service is a wonderful thing. When it’s really honking, my brother is on one side of the pass and I’m on the other, we’re serving as many people as we can.

By Richard Gladwin Co–owner

THE FOOD OF KENSINGTON

L AU N C E S TO N P L A C E

KITCHEN W8

1A Launceston Place, W8 5RL 7 minute walk from 21 Young Street

11–13 Abingdon Road, W8 6AH 10 minute walk from 21 Young Street

used to live in Notting Hill, so I’m a very neighbourhood lifestyle person – I like to stay where I am. Launceston Place was like a perfect match in the sense that it’s a little boutique restaurant in a great place, with a very intimate team. In New York I was Executive Chef for Le Cirque, a very classical restaurant, and before that I was Executive Chef for the Connaught, fine dining and collaborating with Darroze, and before that in Paris as well. This part of London is beautiful, we have the feeling like we’re in the middle of a village, yet in a couple of minutes I can be in Notting Hill by bike, so it’s a very convenient, chilled place, I like it very much. 9am is when lunch service starts and even though I’m a night owl and like the evenings, I like the afternoons here. On Saturday and Sunday the atmosphere changes and becomes a bit more laidback, so the weekend is more about the locals. Ironic that it looks like we’re in a village but you’re in the middle of the city. We’re in the process of getting to know each other, my team, my clientele and I, so I’m improving and changing, taking my dishes back to basics to create something more approached. Obviously I like chefs like Thomas Keller, Daniel Bouve and Pierre Gagnaire very much, they present the identity of really fine French food.

“On Saturday and Sunday the atmosphere changes and becomes a bit more laidback, so the weekend is more about the locals. Ironic that it looks like we’re in a village but you’re in the middle of the city.”

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And Hélène Darroze, she’s very authentic and sophisticated on the plate. I like Daniel Boulud, Michel Bras, Brett at the Ledbury, they all have something I like in their style of food. When I cook something I have to like it. So anything I put on the menu I’d want to eat it myself. So I’d never work with some produce, as I’d never eat it. I’m French–Belgian, from Tournai near the border, near Lille – one of the first main cities of France. It’s a place which has a very French mentality – and a huge gastronomic background – with some dishes still being cooked you can find in books dating back to the Middle Ages. Creating a menu takes a long time, refining the taste of the dishes, getting the team set up. For me, London and New York are two big international cities, with influences from all over the planet. My food influences stem from my experiences so at the moment I’m taking influences from Northern France and Belgium to mix and match sweet and savoury, bringing some fruit on the plate to balance the dishes. With my American

background obviously I love to work with flavour so when I put a dish on the menu, it’s my signature. It’s based on a classic with my twist, touch and freshness to it. Obviously some are rich, and some I lighten with fresh juice so you have an element of rawness on the plate – pigeon with mandarin juice, raw carrot juice for example. It’s a surprise for the palate. I love rich food with my background, but I like to work with plain and natural elements to create authenticity. But then I get bored easily, so I like to change. I like all my dishes – and they’re going to keep on evolving.

By Raphael François Chef Patron

ur signature dish is thinly sliced smoked eel with grilled mackerel. It’s been on our à la carte menu since day one. We took it off the menu once and every single regular customer asked for it. So we had to bring it back. It now features permanently on the menu, weather permitting. Our regular customers join us frequently, they know what is on offer; the changing set menu, the seasonal à la carte or the chef ’s tasting menu. We offer something for all diners, either a quick lunch, leisurely dinner or special occasion. This is also reflected in the price which we consider to be great value for money. I call it fine dining without the fuss. What you get on your plate is a result of the team working hard, to follow the seasons, respect the produce and execute simple balanced combinations of flavour. I believe that over the years the diner now prefers a friendlier and less formal style of service. The service we offer is professional, knowledgeable and approachable. First and foremost we’re a neighbourhood restaurant.

It’s true that over the years we’ve become more of a destination restaurant, attracting people from all over the world due to various awards and social media. We were awarded a Michelin star after just a year and we haven’t changed our philosophy since, we want to keep our neighbourhood feeling.

“The service we offer is professional, knowledgeable and approachable. First and foremost we’re a neighbourhood restaurant.” Just as no one day at the restaurant is the same, the neighbourhood is constantly evolving. We are looking forward to the opening of the Design Museum. Not only for the people it will attract but also the warm welcome we can give to them, and all these new visitors who will come to this part of the high street as a result.

By David Chevalier Restaurant Manager

T H E FA S H I O N O F K E N S I N G TO N

H AUT E COUTURE

to h igh s t r eet By Lisa Redman Fashion Designer

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THE FASHION OF KENSINGTON

For well over a century, Kensington has played a pivotal style role, shaping our experience of the high street. There’s a huge reach for the fashion, with Notting Hill and Knightsbridge minutes away, plus the luxury of a normal high street in the midst of it all.

any years ago, I inherited a trunk from my grandmother full of her handmade clothes. In there were beautiful, long leather gloves, beaded capes and furs. What inspired me the most is that they were all really thought about, just made for her and of course, they were totally beautiful. These are precious items, which is why I think it’s really special to invest in something you keep for a lifetime. I genuinely love making clothes. I just have this feeling when I design. I don’t believe in doing anything ‘on–trend’ because I want it to last forever. Having something that’s totally yours means you don’t see someone coming towards you at a party wearing the same thing. For some, spending money on something ‘of the season’ can be like walking around with a price tag on. If you’re in the limelight, a head of business or a Mother of the Bride, you want something that works for you, something much more discreet. You want luxurious, you want the best, and you want it to fit. I travel all over to my clients’ homes in Kensington – and further afield – and it still gives me a thrill seeing my pieces in their wardrobes. What we do is essentially give women a starting point to create their own clothes, because my clients are confident in what they want to wear and what they want to look like.

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We’ll see them, then do fashion illustrations, choose swatches, present three or four ideas, which will be picked before we mock everything up as a toile. My clients take advantage of the house style, which focuses on luxe fabrics and embroidery which I do all in–house – it gives you total control of the decoration, beading, everything per piece.

“I travel all over to my clients’ homes in Kensington – and further afield – and it still gives me a thrill seeing my pieces in their wardrobes.” My house signature is pale, pastel colours because as a palette it brings in immediate luxury. As soon as colours become pale they become grander, more luxurious. My soft, romantic palette doesn’t date. One client only buys midnight blue, nude pink and ivory crème and she now has the most amazing wardrobe we’ve crafted together over 10 years. I’m in Kensington every day as my son is at St Mary Abbots School. I do all my shopping here, from going into Whole Foods Market to taking a sneaky look in Cos. I love that there’s everything on the doorstep.

THE FASHION OF KENSINGTON

tep back just one street from the high street and Kensington changes again. I like wandering down little Holland Street to see Rifat Ozbek’s cushions, the galleries and the independent shops. It feels like a village, but you just use it all. It’s nice to have those pockets of individuality around – something very special. I like seeking them out so you get a sense of reward when you discover it. Kensington has always been a place to discover, generationally. From the legacy of John Barker and Derry & Toms to Kensington Market from the sixties to the noughties, Kensington buildings have drawn shoppers here through the ages. Derry & Toms’ beautiful deco building morphed and changed with the fashion of the time, in a space so vast you had a real sense of its flexibility. From the Biba fashion label that began here to the latest cult opening, like the luxury Equinox gym space that’s come from the US to Mulberry who have their London headquarters nearby, it’s not an extension of anywhere else. There’s everything you need, and everything on the doorstep. By Lisa Redman Fashion Designer

Memorable moments in Kensington High Street Kensington High Street is one of the great examples of the iconic British High Street. A place to buy almost anything and everything; a showcase for the ever–shifting buying preferences of a community.

“Visitors flocked in their millions to Big Biba, the art deco Derry & Toms department store on Kensington High Street, where seven floors of decadence were inspired by the golden age of Hollywood.”

THE BIRTH OF HIGH STREET Kensington High Street station and arcade were renovated in 1937, and during the sales special trains ran into Victoria to cope with the swelling numbers of shoppers. Kensington also played host to one of London’s most influential fashion hubs, Kensington Market. Affectionately known as ‘Kenny Market’, it spawned a thousand sub-cultures from its inception in the late sixties right the way through to its closure in 1999. Freddie Mercury famously had a stall there. BARKERS OF KENSINGTON Now home to one of London’s largest Whole Foods Market stores, Barkers department store first came into being in 1870, when John Barker and James Whitehead got together to create a small drapery business. By 1892 it had grown to cover 42 departments and workshops and by 1895 the company had purchased every property on Kensington High Street between King Street and Young Street. Barkers of Kensington was sold to UK chain House of Fraser in 1957 and closed in 2006. BIBA Harvey Nichols and Harrods may define the department store experience today, but back in the sixties Barbara Hulanicki – and her iconic fashion label Biba – started it all. Visitors flocked in their millions to Big Biba, the art deco Derry & Toms department store on Kensington High Street, where seven floors of decadence were inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. The rooftop gardens, Kensington Roof Gardens, are still open to this day, now owned by Sir Richard Branson.

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T H E H I S TO RY O F T H E S Q UA R E

Creating craftsmanship from 1685 to present day By David Walters Development Director

Only three squares pre–date Kensington Square; Golden, St. James’s and Soho. Kensington Square is the only one that retains its residential characteristics, and as such enjoys the title of being London’s oldest residential square.

Kensington Square Garden, Kensington Square 32 — 33

THE HISTORY OF THE SQUARE

“I’ve been living here since 2007, and one thing I would say I like the most is that you’re in a very quiet square, yet so very near to the high street. If you want to pop out you can get anything from a pair of socks to some salmon. But what is nice is that all of a sudden it gets very quiet, very much like living in the countryside, and it feels less urban. It’s a very friendly environment.” Angelica Pignatti Morano Local resident

Established by Thomas Young in 1685, a carver who had worked on Soho Square, and ‘did sett out and appoint a considerable part there of to be built into a large Square of large and substantial Houses fit for ye Habitacion of persons of good Worth and Quality, with Courts and Yards before and Gardens lying backwards’. It was originally called King’s Square after the reigning monarch, King James II. Whilst its creator would eventually run into dire financial ruin from its creation, he left behind a legacy of intricate wood carvings for residents to enjoy to this day. The private gardens, which lie at just under an acre, were laid out in 1698 and their greenery form the backdrop – and inspiration – for Shaun Leane’s commission, ‘Arbour.’

By David Walters Development Director Kensington Square Garden, Kensington Square 34 — 35

Take a walk through the local neighbourhood and see more of Kensington from Victoria Grove to De Vere Gardens, widely regarded as one of London’s most beautiful streets. Stroll to Thackeray Street and St Alban’s Grove, past vibrant eateries and grocery stores, jewellery, interiors and inspiring places to stop, shop and rest awhile, right on the doorstep.

THE HISTORY OF THE SQUARE

“Something that’s been noticeable is the increase of younger collectors visiting us. We’ve been here for two decades and as a family business, love the local community.” Alex French Curator, Gallery 19

1 — Kensington Flowers, Victoria Grove. 2 — Côte Bistro, Kensington Court. 3 — Kensington Square Kitchen, Kensington Square.

4 — Howard Walwyn, Fine Antique Clocks. Kensington Church Street. 5 — Gallery 19, Thackeray Street.

“ We’ve been on the Square for nine years. It’s a really busy little space. Great mixture of people and businesses.” Sara Adams Owner, Kensington Square Kitchen

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T H E H O U S E O F S H AU N L E A N E

TH E J E W E LLE RY

of 21 you ng s t r eet ‘Arbour’ by The House of Shaun Leane is the first piece of jewellery designed for a residential development by master jeweller Shaun Leane.

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THE HOUSE OF SHAUN LEANE

A jewel of a commission By Vivienne Becker Jewellery historian

ulti award–winning designer– jeweller, Shaun Leane, is celebrated for his supreme craftsmanship and trailblazing style of modern romance, blending a deep reverence for jewellery heritage with a provocative, fashion–infused edge; a style that has changed the landscape of British fine jewellery. Classically trained in London’s Hatton Garden, Leane launched his own collection in 1999, following a life–changing meeting with the late Alexander McQueen. Together with McQueen, he created barrier–breaking catwalk jewels, highlights of the Victoria & Albert Museum’s blockbuster exhibition, Savage Beauty, and icons of contemporary couture. The commission to design gates, railings and balconies for 21 Young Street is Shaun Leane’s first foray into architecture, his first public artwork, and he says, an exciting opportunity to explore “new expressions, new levels of craft skills, creativity and scale.” The project has presented technical, structural and logistical challenges, but mostly the challenge of translating Leane’s signature style into large–scale architectural metalwork. The jeweller was to ‘dress’ a fixed, linear structure, rather than a living, moving curvaceous body; plus he understood that a public sculpture, intended to last for generations, should possess a certain classical nobility. “I wanted to get our style across, its edginess, movement and fluidity, but in a slightly softer way,” he explains.

“ I love to capture the emotion of fleeting moments in the eternity of precious materials. Working with Grainger on this project has been a privilege, a whole new canvas for me, a new chapter in my story; a jewel of a commission” Shaun Leane Jeweller & Designer

BOUCHERON QUEEN OF THE NIGHT This unique and inspiring objet d’art to commemorate its 150th anniversary, melds the designer’s darkly romantic style with the savoir-faire and heritage of Boucheron.

ROSE GOLD VERMEIL BRANCH EARRINGS These earrings feature ornate clusters of cherry blossom flowers and freshwater pearl studs. Each flower features individually-enamelled petals and is finished with a brilliant white diamond.

The Coiled Corset, 2009, by Shaun Leane 4 0 — 41

THE HOUSE OF SHAUN LEANE

As with all his collections, Leane and his team embarked on in–depth research. His first port of call being Kensington Square, which he discovered was one of the earliest London garden squares, laid out in 1698, and considered a ‘healthy’ spot for Londoners to visit.

n a beautiful summer’s day, Leane saw elegant buildings covered in thick ivy vines, while light dispersed through the trees onto the buildings and the Square. “I knew I had to bring that garden into Young Street, to re–create that fusion of light, nature and architecture,” he recalls. The result is ‘Arbour,’ a dramatic sweep of vines, lush, organic and dynamic, the large, luscious leaves, finely modelled and cast in bronze, as if growing diagonally across the façade of the building from one side to the other, from foundations to the uppermost balcony. “I wanted to instil a sense of movement and tactility, for the metalwork to look untamed, an artfully riotous mass of beautifully sculpted, jewel–like leaves.” Designed in Shaun Leane’s atelier, sketched and plotted in meticulous detail, Arbour will be cast at a bespoke architectural and sculptural metalworkers in the Lake District. Bronze, explains Shaun, was chosen for its classicism and sculptural traditions, balancing the fresh modernity of the design and structure, but also for the way in which it ages, the beautiful patina that bronze acquires with time. Longevity is an aspect of jewellery that entrances Shaun Leane, and one that resonated with this project, protected as it is, for 125 years.

Leane collaborated closely with the architects to ensure his design and choice of material complemented the building, that the connections between balconies were seamless, achieving the effect of natural, spreading ivy growth, creating a sculpture that can be viewed by passers–by as a single, holistic artwork. There was one last vital poetic detail to Leane’s vision: thinking about the light he’d seen filtering through the leaves and branches of the trees in Kensington Square, he designed the metalwork to cast dappled light and shadows falling through the apartment windows onto the floor inside. “I’m a romantic at heart,” says Shaun Leane.

“The result is ‘Arbour,’ a dramatic sweep of vines, lush, organic and dynamic, the large, luscious leaves, finely modelled and cast in bronze, as if growing diagonally across the façade of the building from one side to the other.”

T H E S H AU N L E A N E C O L L A B O R AT I V E P R O C E S S The House of Shaun Leane brought beauty and desirability to the creative process. His understanding and research of the Square and the types of plants here, introduces us to the concept of leaves blowing across our buildings. It works from a distance and up close, to feel and look amazing. We wanted it to be enjoyed from both sides, 360–degrees of touch on every leaf and stem. Because of the narrowness of the street, you’ll never see the full façade. It completely changes as you’re walking towards it, and as you go past. It’s very tactile, so running a hand over the leaves can be part of the experience, even for those who are simply passing by. By Richard Luffington Grainger PLC Shaun really understood about having a very subtle ‘sparkle.’ Clearly identifiable to the building to help reinforce the character, but something that would contrast with its mellow tones without screaming and shouting. This is quite a careful balance. He’s an exceptional designer, the care and the detail that went into his designs was so similar to our own ethos of how we got there. He produced some beautiful examples of the leaf motif, but talked about how it could be produced so the quality could be exceptional, made with a cast – and in bronze. It’s also how the design will sit in the living space when you’re inside looking out. Some people will polish their own sections of balustrading and balconies, some people will never touch them, and these will all change over time.

‘Arbour’ prototype by Shaun Leane

By Russell Pedley Assael

Shaun Leane, Jeweller & Designer

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T H E 21 YO U N G S T R E E T E X T E R I O R

A journey from the high street to the garden square By Russell Pedley Director & Architect, Assael

e passionately believe that in architecture, design must work. It must last. And it must be beautiful. If you don’t have those three ingredients then it’s simply not good design. Everything we do revolves round those three things. Creating places – where people live and sleep – is fundamental to us as a practice, and dealing with all the complications that city life presents. We’re capturing that sense of calm, of pleasure and quiet right in the middle of a city. There are obviously huge advantages to city life, but how do you create the perfect residential environment where every detail brings pleasure? From daylight to acoustics, utilities and services, to traffic, everything matters.

CGI DESCRIPTION Computer generated image, 21 Young Street exterior 44 — 45

THE 21 YOUNG STREE T E X TER IOR

THE COURTYARD With lush grass and benches the outdoor space gives a sense of sanctuary.

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THE 21 YOUNG STREE T E X TER IOR

Kensington is a place that is constantly changing, with different layers. Young Street is retaining the good things of each period and our building will be considered the ‘next instalment’.

“The Grainger brief set the bar to create a building that had its own unique character and appearance.”

rainger is a long established client of ours. We’ve been working with them since 2000. What started off as a journey on Macaulay Walk in Clapham is what led us to our Young Street collaboration. This is a project that blends history with contemporary. 21 Young Street is brand new, but in a very historic context. The Grainger brief set the bar to create a building that had its own unique character and appearance. We’re mindful that context and materials have to last and look good. It’s what makes this development so interesting – we had to delve into the character of the street for the opportunity to put something back. Looking at Young Street’s design was really about understanding the context. What was a purpose–built sixties car park was so specific to its use – and had such a grand effect on the street – it couldn’t be adapted to anything else. We saw something that sat so uncomfortably in the fabric of the conservation area, we found ourselves looking at patterns of development over time to set the scene. From 1860 to 2012 we were able to understand those patterns of development – and how things have changed to help us design in the future. This is an area with a heritage that spans the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries – as well as the 20th and 21st – and we’re just adding to that story.

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T H E K E N S I N G TO N E X P E R I E N C E

Curating exceptional experiences By Martin Ballard Head Concierge, Claridges’s

Amenities are like ingredients that add colour to a place. Too many and it’s a laundry list, too few and you risk a lack of appeal. Look past bricks and mortar to how we curate the experience of a place, at what the essence of amenity really means. Martin Ballard, Head Concierge at Claridge’s tells it like it is.

good concierge must have their finger on the pulse at all times and know the newest exhibition, the hottest restaurant and the best show in town. I also need to have excellent relationships with restaurants – I need to be the one to bag that last table! It’s all in the details of knowing what’s on the doorstep, managing time and expectations. I have been with Claridge’s for more than 30 years and am originally from Kennington. My job is very much about meeting our guests, arranging their plans, being their point of contact for anything that they might need during their stay with us. London, for me, is the most amazing city in the world, and in my opinion it’s the food capital of the world, too. My three ingredients to create a fine day out are simply good food, fine wine and excellent company! Londoners love dining out, they love the bar scene. I would head for Soho, which has such an array of bars and

restaurants. You can enjoy a starter in one restaurant and a main course in another before enjoying a night–cap in somewhere like jazz bar Ronnie Scott’s or the Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zedel. Another not to be missed place is The Electric Cinema. I always say that if Claridge’s had a cinema this is what it would look like. I love Kensington. I always send guests to the Victoria & Albert Museum and try to visit all new exhibitions myself. Savage Beauty was last year’s highlight for me. Clarke’s is one of my favourite restaurants in London and a must visit for anyone there. I think we here in London have a unique history that we should be very proud of. Whenever I walk over Waterloo Bridge I always stop to take in the view. From one vantage point you can see the Houses of Parliament on your left and St Paul’s on the right. You have buildings over 1,000 years old next to buildings that are barely a few years old. That, in my opinion, is what makes London so special and unique. Computer generated image, 21 Young Street entrance lobby

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THE KENSINGTON EXPERIENCE

THE LIBRARY The library, equally perfect for reclining with a book or sampling a whisky from your private drinks locker. Computer generated image

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THE KENSINGTON EXPERIENCE

Computer generated image UNDERGROUND PARKING The private car park gives you peace of mind. With a resin gloss coating, the car park not only protects your vehicle but also provides a magnificent background.

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T H E 21 YO U N G S T R E E T I N T E R I O R

Designing private residences for individuals By Matthew Ratsma MMM Architects, Founder & Practice Principal

aving done this for 25 years, I’ve found there’s an English way, an English look. It’s very different. It’s about the found object and being respectful to what’s there. It’s detail, inherently subtle, understated and just a little under the radar, a close and personal experience of how people live their lives. For us, Kensington and Chelsea is a very specific and interesting borough; the artisan borough. It’s royal, there’s a mass of culture here and a great deal of diversity. You’ll find pretty squares and beautiful Georgian houses that run off Kensington High Street, and Young Street itself very quiet but it has a real prettiness, a sober maturity. I always find it interesting going through the process of who we build for. People come to a place because they know and like the area, so it was never about designing 21 Young Street for just any kind of person. It’s been far more special. As a result we’re not about being shiny and new, but how it’s made and will age with the building. The level of detail on any interiors project is like a first kiss. In the same way you spot a Savile Row suit by how

well it’s put together, one is able to recognise that moment when things are really well done. The moments are what you remember. Of course, they can happen anywhere. Is it something to sit by, to look good against or an instant where you’re taking the character and conversation to a more visually interesting place? For that reason we really like it when the design gets a bit more complicated, because it’s doing its job properly – taking you to the point of discovery. So our concept here is less about being boutique, more about defining what’s special to create those beautiful moments. We’ll start at the floor and then everything works from that. As the largest surface area of colour and texture, we have a Portland Stone reception desk, a timber floor and a Portland Stone panel which reads as a rug. Yet it matches the Portland Stone on the outside of the building, and the stone inset that runs down the middle of the staircase. All this is quite quietly designed, but tremendously difficult to do.

Computer generated image, dining area 56 — 57