Artful lodger: Jacques Garcia transforms a former church into L’Oscar hotel
An abandoned church on London’s Southampton Row has been transformed into the 39-room L’Oscar. Parisian architect Jacques Garcia has conjured an ornate interior in a bold palette of deep purple, red, petrol blue and canary yellow, with evidence of the hotel’s ecclesiastical past cleverly woven into the design.
There are original details from tiled floors to fireplaces that feature terracotta panels that depict scenes from the bible. Sharp-eyed guests will spot elements from these panels creatively reinterpreted by Garcia in details around the hotel such as the 495 individual Lalique-style birds that are used as light fittings throughout the hotel or the flora and fauna that is embroidered into bespoke fabrics and furniture designed by Watts of Westminster.
Meanwhile, the building’s Grade-II listed chapel now houses a restaurant run by chef Tony Fleming and a bar is installed where the organ used to be.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
6 Southampton Row
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ali Morris is a UK-based editor, writer and creative consultant specialising in design, interiors and architecture. In her 16 years as a design writer, Ali has travelled the world, crafting articles about creative projects, products, places and people for titles such as Dezeen, Wallpaper* and Kinfolk.
-
Pharrell Williams’ latest Louis Vuitton show celebrates a ‘friendship for life’ with streetwear legend Nigo
Louis Vuitton men’s creative director Pharrell Williams looked towards his long friendship with BAPE founder Nigo to create a collaborative A/W 2025 menswear collection shown in Paris this evening (21 January 2025)
By Jack Moss Published
-
Think small, think electric, as Hyundai attempts to revolutionise the classic Indian three-wheeler
Hyundai’s Micro Mobility strategy, in collaboration with Indian manufacturer TVS, has revealed two conceptual takes on small electric urban transport in a bid to cut the country’s crushing pollution issue
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Just beneath the surface there’s another world’: How David Lynch used hair and make-up to create his singular universe
From Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive to Twin Peaks, David Lynch used hair and make-up in his films as a narrative device, writes Laura Havlin
By Laura Havlin Published
-
Hamburg’s Tortue hotel opens following renovation by David Chipperfield Architects and Stephen Williams
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Artful lodger: Dexter Moran Associates designs London's Vintry and Mercer
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Artful lodger: The Jacques Grange-designed Hotel Mamá opens in Palma
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Artful lodger: Botswana’s Mombo Camp is refurbished by design firm Artichoke
By Lauren Ho Last updated
-
Artful lodger: The former Hotel Russell gets a makeover by Tara Bernerd
By Daven Wu Last updated