A First Look Inside Patricia Urquiola's London Residential Project

She's one of the leading women in designand oneof the most in-demand product designers in Europe. NowPatricia Urquiolais making her mark in London.

The famed Spanish interior designer and architect has already wowed the industry with products such as the Fjord chair, her furniture collection for Louise Vuitton and her striking design collaborationswith Italian design company Cassina,Editions Milano, CC-Tapis, Coedition and Moroso. Add to thather work on the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona and the Il Sereno Hotel on Lake Como and it's no wonder she's been raking in awards, including being granted the Order of Isabella the Catholic by the Spanish king, in recognition of services to her country.

Now the uber-designer makes her London residential debut withThe Lincoln Square development inBloomsbury;a new luxury London development of 202 luxury apartments, set among Holborn’s law courts and university colleges.

The project’s motto is “ubi magni animi vivunt” (Latin for “here, where great minds live”) which suitably reflects the location and likely clientele.Located opposite the Royal Courts of Justice and Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the residential block sits firmly in theheart of academic and legal London – a cultural hub of literature, law, medicine and the arts.Buyers so far have strong ties, past or present, to the LSE or the law courts – so it seems only fitting that instead of a members’ bar, residents have their own elegant library.

Due to open later this year, the project comprises ten storeys (17,000 sq ft) and two basement levels as well as a private courtyard, and includesa 25 metre swimming pool and spa complete with separate vitality pool and treatment rooms, a gymnasium, a private club and library, a cinema, private dining area for up to 36 people, an on-site library and children’s play area as well as snooker and games rooms.

The plush development also marks the London debut of the Lodha Group, India’s largest property developer, which is behind the project. They brought on Urquiola, as well asPLP Architecture and garden landscaper Gustafson Porter – best known for the Diana, Princess of Wales memorial garden.

Inside, theinterior is characterised by a mix of coloured glass, timber woods, marbles and bronze metals, creating a textural, colourful and warm atmosphere. Bronze mesh gilding can be found in both ceilings and room dividers, while a mix of coloured glass, timber and marble create opulence throughout the spaces.

In the marble entrance hall,bespoke bronze and metal mesh chandeliers dominate the double height spaces, leaving a free and continuous view through to the central courtyard.Metal grids act as screens in the library and health club, offering privacywithout segregating the space.

Table tennis, television and video games are kept serrated in the children's area via functional butsoft rope screens, whilecentral movable panels and curtains divide up the private dining room,discreetly disappearing into the walls when opened.

To create a sense of flow in the dining area,rugs and tables in each of the two rooms can be connected through additional carpet and table panels which, when in place, allow the entire space to seamlessly integrate and flow as one.

The cinema room has been designed to be an extension of the resident’s living area and features both one and two seater sofas with side tables and low lighting to create an intimate and comfortable environment.

Colour-wise, grey and sand tones create a calm and relaxing environment in both the cinema and thehealth club and treatment rooms, while in the children’s spaces,vibrant primary colours such as reds and blues have been used.

The residential project has also inspired a collection of30 limited-edition sculptural sand timers (£460 from The Conran Shop), each uniquely blown in Murano glass and numbered and signed by Urquiola.

Prices start from£1.29m for a studio flat and go up to several million pounds for the 3,200 sq ft penthouses.