When urban development and exterior design find a common language
In the middle of London’s bustling Victoria district, directly north of the railway station, a formerly traffic-heavy area has been transformed into a modern, vibrant neighbourhood: Nova Victoria. An ensemble of office and residential buildings has been created on an area of around 83,300 m², flanked by spacious hospitality and leisure areas. The result of the remodelling is a vibrant urban quarter that attracts residents, office workers and visitors alike. Thanks to numerous markilux awnings, this area can be enjoyed regardless of London’s fickle weather.
Nova Place – a space for light and shade
Nova Place is a hospitality destination located in the heart of the Nova Victoria development. Bright, open and lined with trees, the space opens up on all sides and is home to over 20 restaurants and cafés with around 400 outdoor seats. The design emphasises generosity and flexibility: seating groups for individual guests alternate with tables for larger groups, clear pathways provide a natural structure, carefully placed trees and plants create shade and visual axes at the same time. Natural stone flooring, restrained lighting and carefully selected seating combine modern design with a cosy atmosphere.
What makes Nova Place special is its ability to function at different times of the day and year. During the day, light floods the square, while in the evening it condenses into a warm, urban meeting place. This quality is no coincidence, but the result of planning that took holistic utilisation into account from the outset.
The London weather and the design of comfortable outdoor spaces
Anyone who runs an outdoor catering business in London battles the same problem every day: the weather. Rain, wind and the early onset of dusk significantly shorten the usable time for external terraces, and thus reduce both the quality of stay for guests and the economic return for operators. “When the weather wasn’t in our favour, we had little to no visitors on the Patio,” says Andras Stumpf, manager of the Timmy Green restaurant at Nova Place. The requirement for Nova Place was therefore clear: weather-independent, comfortable seating areas that blend stylishly into the open, light-flooded atmosphere of the square and invite people to socialise in the evenings thanks to their warmth and soft lighting.
Sophisticated planning for 99 awnings
The project took several years to plan, as Harvey Roberts, Managing Director of markilux UK, reports. “The initial enquiry came from Breezefree who are one of our highly experienced commercial dealers. For a project of this type we can then provide the customer with technical assistance and drawings as well as 3D renderings.” The team provided extensive support throughout the process. The result of the long planning phase: a total of 99 motorised markilux 1600 semi-cassette awnings were installed at Nova Place. This awning model impresses with a harmoniously rounded housing design and can achieve a width of up to 7.10 m per element with a 4 m extension; for this project versions in different widths and extensions were used. The awnings, which are mounted back to back in pairs on sturdy steel frames, create large, wind-stable canopies that provide safe protection at wind speeds of up to 37 km/h.
Design diversity in the system
What characterises the design of the project is the consistency with which uniformity and individuality were conceived at the same time. The uniformly used shading structure with the markilux 1600 gives the space a consistent, harmonious appearance. At the same time, over 200 fabric variants were available: Each of the more than 20 restaurants used this freedom to implement its own colour and design concept. Decorative valances on the front profile set classic accents without breaking the clear design language of the awnings. This variety of designs was made possible by the high-quality production in the company’s own weaving mill in Emsdetten. However, this high level of customisation presented the planners with a major challenge during fixture. “It is very unusual to install such a large number of awnings in such a small space in London. As this all had to be done in a short time window, the potential for mix-ups was very high,” says Roberts. This task was solved through meticulous planning and precisely coordinated just-in-time deliveries.
In addition to the visual variety, comfort was a decisive factor in the decision in favour of markilux awnings. Integrated LED lights bathe the Patios in warm light when required, while infrared radiant heaters ensure a pleasant ambience even in cooler temperatures. Andras Stumpf also draws a positive balance: “The light creates a nice atmosphere. I think the visitors really enjoy it.”
What’s more, the operration is also convenient in this case. It is motorised via radio remote controls or smart home systems, supported by particularly robust drives that are low-maintenance and reliable. The result: the usable outdoor areas have almost doubled thanks to the installation. A gain that is reflected both in the quality of stay and in the economic operation of the catering business.
Urban development thought through to the end
Nova Place shows what urban development can achieve if it is consistently thought through to the end. It is not enough to create space. They must be playable, at any time of day, in any weather, for a wide variety of users. In this sense, the integration of 99 markilux awnings is not an add-on, but part of an overall attitude that good architecture does not stop where the building ends.
Today, the neighbourhood is living proof that historical substance and contemporary usage requirements are not opposites – and that the space between the buildings deserves at least as much care as the buildings themselves.