Development in Focus: Embassy Gardens
Autumn 2014

Embassy Gardens is a new riverside development adjacent to the new US embassy and the centrepiece of the new quarter of Nine Elms on the South Bank. Embassy Gardens consists of both residential and commercial buildings and has been thoughtfully designed and landscaped with public squares, parks, and gardens radiating off the Linear Park – the soft backbone running through the whole of Nine Elms, from Battersea Power Station all the way to Vauxhall Cross.

Nine Elms is undergoing a spectacular and radical transformation from inner city twilight zone to shining example of world class urban redevelopment, creating a new landmark riverside district for central London. This is undoubtedly a very exciting new chapter in the story of riverside London and quite possibly the last time the capital will see the creation of such a completely new district, where none existed before. Vauxhall Tube Station (zone 1), on the Victoria Line, and Vauxhall Rail Station are just nine minutes walk from Embassy Gardens. A footbridge over the Thames is also planned, which would make Pimlico a mere five minutes walk away.

Embassy Gardens

Embassy Gardens, Nine Elms

Embassy Gardens consists of three buildings: the Ambassador Building, the Capital Building, and the Chancery Building, creating a total of 2,000 new homes. It has stunning landscaped gardens, a boutique hotel, vibrant new bars and restaurants providing ‘al fresco’ spaces, and 130,000 sq ft of retail space. The flats rise over 19 floors and range from studio suites to one and two bedroom apartments, and three bedroom penthouses. The Ambassador Building takes in spectacular, traditional views of London, such as the River Thames, Westminster and the Houses of Parliament, as well as newly formed icons such as the London Eye and the Shard.

The aesthetic is inspired by classic 1950s American design, which manifests itself through the creative use of space, materials, and detailing. Generous spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows, together with materials such as marble and walnut parquet flooring, quietly impart quality and class, reinforcing the sense of solidity and enduring good taste. Balconies are a great feature of the typical Manhattan apartment, providing private outdoor spaces, many of which are winter gardens or a suntrap for south-facing apartments.

Embassy Gardens also has a Private Residents Club centred in the grand lobby of the Ambassador Building, providing round-the-clock concierge services together with a private lounge and library, café / bar / restaurant, a fully equipped business centre, and a private cinema. The Private Residents Club also features a fully equipped fitness gym, health spa, yoga and dance studio, and a 16 metre indoor / outdoor swimming pool. For private functions there is also the unique apartment lounge.

The design of Embassy Gardens is the result of an exemplary collaboration between four world-class architectural practices: Terry Farrell & Partners, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (winners of the Stirling Prize, 2008), Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, and FLACQ / Arup. Ballymore, who in the course of the last 20 years has been involved in some of the most iconic and successful urban regeneration projects in London, is the developer and has designed the interiors.

The designs are strongly influenced by the commercial buildings of the 1930s in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, which give Embassy Gardens a highly distinctive look. The most striking feature of the proposed apartment buildings in Embassy Gardens is their variety of style, size, and character.

Phase I was launched in 2012 and is now sold out, with the first residents due to move in during Spring 2015. Phase II will launch early in 2015 and construction is already underway.

  • EmbassyGardens.com;
  • BallymoreGroup.com.