Creating the height of luxury at The Shard
Laura Ivill speaks to André Fu about his design plans for the world’s top hotels
AS I join André Fu at The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge, the sunlight is pouring in and he is surrounded by flowers. It is three weeks before his new suite is launched and he is working on the final details – today its the floral arrangements.
Following award-winning success with The Upper House Hotel in Hong Kong in 2009 and Fullerton Bay Hotel in Singapore in 2010, Fu has been in demand, completing projects spanning the Asia Pacific, for the likes of Shangri-La and W Hotels.
As well as the extravagant Opus Suite at The Berkeley, he is simultaneously working on Gong at The Shard – the top floor of the hotly-anticipated and much-delayed Shangri-La hotel. “In the daytime, half of the footprint will be a fitness lounge and swimming pool for guests,” he explains, “the other half is a bar that will open up in the evening, and the swimming pool will become part of the bar as a water feature.”
While we are waiting for the Gong to sound its opening, The Berkeley has been an instant hit. London is easily Fu’s second home. Hong-Kong born, he was educated in England from the age of 14, graduating from Cambridge in 2000 with an MA in architecture. The same year he set up his own studio, AFSO.
In 2003, he returned to Hong Kong at a time he felt was right for “a newer generation of designers, people with a global vision”.
I first met Fu in 2009 when he showed me around The Upper House. Fu’s transformation of the Chinese hotel transported guests to a spacious, zen-like haven, far from the frenetic pace of the streets below.
His textures of bamboo and brushed metals spoke of warmth and refinement, and my room, spacious yet cosy, was never overshadowed by Hong Kong Harbour, one of the most spectacular views in the world.
Texture is a key component in Fu’s work. “We are using bamboo again in The Opus Suite,” he says. “It’s for a lot of the wall panellings, and we are working a lot of curves into it to give it a sense of embracing you.”
He is also using “a brushed brass, a champagne gold colour, which, for me, is kind of English. The third material is a grey marble, but we are flaming it – when you run your fingers on it there is a slight texture to it like a lychee skin.”
I ask if he has any tips for anyone planning their own home refurbishment. “The important thing is to understand how you live and the space that you have, and really craft it in accordance to your needs.
“Most people just think about the look that they want, whereas it’s important to understand how you flow around the space.”
Newly-opened, the suite has become a temple to serene living with freshly-baked cookies in oversized jars, hand-tufted rugs and a vast, flaming fireplace. And, yes, the flowers are exceptional, too.
The Opus Suite at The Berkeley Hotel costs from £10,000 per night, with a minimum five-night stay. Breakfast is included. Visit the-berkeley.co.uk for bookings.