West End Gate Block C

West End Gate is an impressive new mixed-use development in Paddington, London. Spear-headed by renowned developers the Berkeley Group, the project consists of eight phases, two of which have been launched over the past three years. Sapphire has been commissioned to design, manufacture and supply the balconies for the first phase of the development, which adds yet more luxury real estate to this stunning site.

The Wider West End Gate Project

Located in the heart of London, moments from the fashionable neighbourhoods of Marylebone and Little Venice, West End Gate is intended as the pinnacle of luxury living. Situated around a private landscaped garden with a contemporary geometric water feature, residents also enjoy unrivalled facilities including a private cinema, swimming pool and fitness centre.

By 2018, the 30-storey Westmark Tower and Garrett Mansions were launched. The following year, Asquith House was added to the development, providing a further 40 luxury apartments to the site. With prices starting at £980,000 for a studio and reaching up to £4.2 million, the emphasis at West End Gate is on exclusivity.

Garrett Mansions at West End Gate

Garrett Mansions was the first phase of the West End Gate development, comprising 1, 2, and 3 bedroom luxury apartments. Located next to the impressive Westmark building, this development perfectly combines modernity and the traditional architecture of the surrounding area. A particular feature of this new phase is the outdoor space. Every apartment has a balcony accessible via the living room, beautifully appointed with uplights and sleek aluminium balustrades.

The Challenge

The principle challenge in this project was the level of detail in the design. Each balcony features lights set into the decking, vents, and GRC (Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete) columns that need to interface with the balcony design. This demanded exceptional attention to detail, as there was very little tolerance for error. Furthermore, the 50×12 mm bars were larger than usual, requiring more bespoke changes. With two different sizes of balcony to install on a busy site, Sapphire had to deliver precision logistics as well as design.

The Solution

As ever, Sapphire stepped up to a bespoke design challenge. To deliver the precision and finish the client expected, we manufactured each balcony offsite to rigorous standards, ensuring that both sizes of balcony interfaced exactly with the GRC columns. This included producing contrasting non-metallic soffits and metallic fascia and installing high-end MyDek decking.

Our ability to manufacture all of the parts offsite was integral to the smooth running of the project, as the busy location meant there was no room for onsite storage. Once on location, the balconies took just three days to install, ensuring minimal disruption to the rest of the build team.

Step 1: Anchors were cast into the slab and incorporated thermal break connections offering superior rigidity to the balconies.

Step 2: Cassette® balconies were preassembled offsite, including the balustrades, decking and soffits.

Step 3: Cassette® balconies were transported with balconies ‘nested’ onto each pallet making transport both cost-effective and safe. Balconies were pre-slung offsite ready for installation upon arrival.

Step 4: Once lifted into position, the Cassettes® simply Glide-On™ to the pre-erected support arms, before completing the simple mechanical fixings.

The Results

The results at Garrett Mansions were nothing short of exceptional. These apartments are intended as the peak of luxury living in London’s exclusive W2 postcode and every architectural detail reflects that ambition. Our balconies cleanly and elegantly marry into the building’s façade, incorporating beautiful architectural details like the GRC columns. When uplit from the decking at night, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more glamorous vantage point to enjoy views out over London’s West End.