ARK Co-Living Wembley Building London, Crosstree Real Estate Partners, Re:shape Generation, English Architecture Photo

ARK Co-Living Wembley, London Building

27 Aug 2022

New Co-living Brand Ark Unveils Debut London Rental Concept

Interior design: Holloway Li

Location: Wembley Park, north west London, England, UK

image : ARK

ARK Co-Living Wembley Park, London

● New co-living brand ARK’s debut 300-room building will open in Wembley Park this September, with interiors from acclaimed London design studio Holloway Li

● Bookings launch today at the hybrid live/work concept created in response to a post-pandemic world and offering flexible stays from two nights up to one year

● All-inclusive bill covers a private ensuite studio, all utilities, access to exceptional design-led amenities including co-working, communal living and dining areas, gym, yoga space, Peloton spin studio, and a daily cultural events programme

● A landscaped open air roof terrace provides panoramic views of London to boost mental and physical wellbeing

A multifunctional lounge at Wembley ARK:

image : ARK

New co-living brand ARK has today unveiled plans for its debut community-centric rental concept in London where you can stay, work and play – all under one roof.

Opening in Wembley Park this September and introducing a truly flexible serviced model where guests can stay from two nights up to one year, the interiors of the 300-bedroom former hotel have been reimagined and reconfigured into a new urban retreat by ARK, in collaboration with acclaimed London design studio Holloway Li.

As an alternative to the typically material-intensive approach to retrofitting, Holloway Li has taken a low impact approach to the building’s design, retaining or modifying elements from the existing space to minimise waste.

The lounge and kitchenette of a private studio at Wembley ARK:

photo © Nicholas Worley

Providing financial certainty through one fixed all-inclusive bill

Taking the stress out of staying and living in London and freeing your time to focus on doing the things you love, ARK offers one fixed all-inclusive bill to provide financial certainty in the face of the rising cost of living.

For any length of stay, this bill covers: a private ensuite studio; property taxes; 24/7 gym and unlimited co-working space access; superfast WiFi; all utilities; round-the-clock concierge; a daily programme of cultural events from cocktail making to pottery classes; and professional cleaning and linen changes.

A shared space including communal kitchen:

image : ARK

Thoughtfully designed private studios

A quiet retreat from the pressures of city life, ARK’s private studios – which can be booked on its website from today – provide thoughtfully designed spaces to lounge, cook, host or simply call home.

All private studios come fully furnished and include an ensuite, clever storage, a bespoke table and corner sofa, a kitchenette with a hob, microwave oven and dishwasher, a 49-inch UHD Samsung TV, comfy double bed, air conditioning, and floor-to-ceiling windows which flood the inviting living spaces with light. A subtle colour palette of sage, sand and taro creates a warm, comforting interior, while remaining neutral enough for guests to make their spaces their own.

Roof terrace steps at Wembley ARK:

photo © ARK

World-class communal spaces

Setting a new benchmark for serviced living accommodation in London, Wembley ARK’s guests can connect with their neighbours through a series of design-led contemporary indoor and outdoor amenity spaces in the building.

Holloway Li co-founders Alex Holloway and Na Li identified the public spaces of Wembley ARK as an opportunity to respond to the blending of traditional typologies in the post-Covid era. Leveraging experience in both the hospitality and private residential sectors for brands including The Hoxton and Locke, the studio has imagined the common areas as the rooms of a ‘very large house’.

Spanning multiple levels, shared spaces include a top floor, high specification communal kitchen – which is in addition to guests’ private in-room kitchenettes – and dining area, lounge, multimedia room, Peloton spin studio, laundry room, yoga and wellbeing space, and state-of-the-art gym. Co-working spaces, private meeting rooms and booths are also available to offer quiet zones for concentration, to meet the everyday needs and privacy of hybrid working.

landscaped roof terrace at Wembley ARK:

image © ARK

A 3,500 sq ft landscaped open air rooftop terrace with panoramic views of central London – featuring a secluded hidden seating area and viewing steps – will host BBQs, music events, wellness activities and become a sociable hub for guests to enjoy 360-degree vistas of the capital. Wembley ARK’s rooftop is also the building’s ‘back garden’, and is surrounded by allotment beds which guests can use for growing vegetables – a further response to a pandemic trend.

Charlie Gayner, co-founder of ARK, said: “We created ARK to directly respond to the shift in working patterns in a post-pandemic world, rise in urban loneliness, unprecedented increases in living costs, and growing demand for all-inclusive and more flexible living options in London.

“In its most simplistic form, an ‘Ark’ is a safe vessel which houses a community of diverse individuals that are going on a journey, with all the provisions needed under one roof. The design concept we’ve created with Holloway Li perfectly captures our ambition to build a brand around community and social interaction.”

The lounge of a private studio at Wembley ARK:

photo © Nicholas Worley

Alex Holloway, creative director and co-founder of Holloway Li, said: “Our design concept for Wembley ARK aims to foster a sense of community through a series of domestic, intimate spaces which are underpinned by a low impact design approach. We began by researching the history of collective living to understand how to build a resilient long-term community, while catering for a variety of desires and interests.

“We wanted the furniture choices for Wembley ARK to have the quality of ‘found’ objects, as if they had been accumulated and collected over time. Every element was curated carefully, allowing the space to feel as if it had developed organically and feel ‘lived in’ as a house might.”

Na Li, managing director and co-founder of Holloway Li, said: “Rooms are demarcated by joinery elements, such as textured and translucent screens and partitioned seating areas, balancing flexibility with modularity and spatial efficiency. Inspired by the interiors of canal boats and playing on the idea of the ‘Ark’, we used timber shelving and panelling, subtly reminiscent of a traditional drawing room, to break down large open plan areas while retaining a convivial openness. The co-working area feels like a large dining table to gather and work around, while the communal kitchen takes on the social quality of a country farmhouse kitchen.”

picture © ARK

Social impact

Creating a positive impact in the local community is also high on the agenda for ARK. As part of the former hotel’s refurbishment, ARK has donated more than 1,000 pieces of furniture to local families and shelters in response to a rising cost of living.

Wembley ARK will also offer free accommodation for local women who have suffered at the hands of domestic violence through partnering with the Al-Hasaniya Women’s Centre, which is accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Jermaine Browne, co-founder of ARK, said: “London can be isolating and monotonous at times for many people – and that’s never good for our mental health, or our communities. ARK aims to reset how we live and stay in London by creating living and social spaces which are designed to connect people and inspire personal growth.

“Co-living creates a platform for people to forge meaningful relationships which can stand the test of time. But it isn’t just our guests this holds true for – being a good neighbour to our local community is also really important to us. We firmly believe that no bed should ever be empty in London, and we will always look to offer available rooms to those who need them the most by partnering with local charities, social enterprises and community groups, wherever possible, to make a genuine and positive difference.”

A thriving and connected destination on your doorstep

Wembley ARK is extremely well connected and is located a seven-minute walk from Wembley’s two Underground stations – serviced by the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines – where you can get to central London within just 13 minutes. It is also minutes away from iconic sports and music destination Wembley Stadium, BOXPARK Wembley and renowned concert and events venue OVO Arena Wembley.

Rooms are now available to book with a fixed all-inclusive bill from September 2022. Prices start from £88 per night, with a minimum two-night stay, or £1,131 per month.

To book a room, or to find out more about living at Wembley ARK, visit: www.arkcoliving.co.uk.

ARK

ARK is a new co-living brand on a mission to reset the way we stay, live and experience London through its community-centric flexible rental concept.

ARK’s first co-living building, Wembley ARK, will open in September 2022 and was created by a joint venture between Crosstree Real Estate Partners and Re:shape Generation.

Crosstree Real Estate Partners is a private UK real estate investor and developer which focuses on a small number of exceptional schemes at any one time. Crosstree’s investments include The Standard, King’s Cross; Mama Shelter, Shoreditch; The Berkeley Estate, Mayfair; and The O2, Greenwich.

Re:shape Generation is a joint venture between Re:shape, a co-living specialist and Generation Partners (“Generation”), a pioneer in student living which created the Nido, Pure and Here Student Living brands. Generation has delivered and operated more than 10,000 new student bed spaces in the UK and Ireland since inception.
Bookings at Wembley ARK can be made from today by visiting: arkcoliving.co.uk.

Holloway Li

Holloway Li are Interior Architects with an established reputation for providing innovative architecture and interior design direction to a growing network of international clients across the retail, hospitality and private residential sectors. The practice was founded in 2015, and is fronted by Alex Holloway and Na Li.

Specialising in the hospitality industry, and operating at the forefront of a new wave of designers who blur the boundaries between historicism, decoration, and digital process, Holloway Li creates intricate interiors that are comfortable in the context of contemporary design culture. A chartered practice and member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Holloway Li is based in London, and boasts a global portfolio in London, Munich, and Beijing.
For more information, visit: hollowayli.com.

ARK Co-Living Wembley, London Spaces images / information received 260822 from Holloway Li

Location: Wembley Park, Wembley, northwest London, England, UK

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