Chapmanbdsp played a pivotal role in bringing the project to life, delivering MEP, environmental, fire engineering and vertical transportation consultancy across the wider redevelopment, as well as specialist engineering design for the new luxury hotel.
The transformation of Whiteleys, the wider complex that now houses Six Senses, represents one of London's most complex and high-profile heritage redevelopments.
The project carefully restored the Grade II listed facade and dome of the former department store while introducing a vibrant mixed-use destination including luxury residences, retail, restaurants, cinema and hospitality spaces.
At the northern end of the scheme sits the recently opened Six Senses London hotel, where chapmanbdsp's engineering expertise assisted in integrating the contemporary building services within a sensitive historic structure.
The luxury wellness-focused hotel features 110 guestrooms arranged across seven floors, with upper levels benefiting from terraces and gardens that create a calm retreat above the city.
Guests enter through the restored historic entrance into an elegant lobby space, where restaurants and bars unfold around a bold feature staircase.
A dedicated social and wellness club on the second floor forms the heart of the hotel's offering, combining co-working spaces, a central bar and lounge, a restaurant and a range of wellness rooms designed for both members and guests.
A standout feature of the showcase kitchen is the open-fire oven, introduced at the client's request to display solid fuel cooking for guests. This created a complex fire strategy for chapmanbdsp, as managing fume build-up required specialised ventilation systems to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.
Below ground, the hotel has an extensive spa and fitness experience. A 20m indoor swimming pool anchors the spa circuit, which also includes communal and gender-specific saunas and steam rooms, alongside up to 12 treatment rooms.
Specialist wellness facilities including a floatation room, a sensory room and a cryotherapy suite complement a 325m2 gym and additional studio spaces.
The diverse treatment offerings required chapmanbdsp to deliver complex engineering services while developing coordinated strategies for closely integrated systems.
Delivering these facilities within a historic building required innovative engineering solutions. The listed external walls restricted ventilation placement, so chapmanbdsp worked closely with the project team to develop highly integrated building services that could be discreetly incorporated within the structure while preserving its architectural integrity.
One of the project's most significant technical challenges arose from planning restrictions that prohibited the placement of plant equipment on the roof to preserve rooftop spaces for private amenity terraces.
This constraint required a rethinking of the servicing strategy. In response, chapmanbdsp developed a bespoke engineering solution that relocated all major plant infrastructure to newly constructed basement levels, increasing the building depth from 4m to 18m.
The design incorporates a sophisticated heat rejection strategy that also performs multiple functions, including exhaust ventilation, smoke ventilation and generator ventilation. This multi-use approach allowed complex systems to operate efficiently while minimising spatial impact within the historic structure.
Across the wider redevelopment, chapmanbdsp's role extended beyond the hotel. The practice provided engineering consultancy for the entire mixed-use scheme, which spans approximately 87,000m² and includes residential spaces, retail, dining and leisure facilities.
A central energy centre forms the backbone of the development's infrastructure, delivering a localised district heating and cooling network supported by high-voltage electrical distribution serving all assets across the site. The retail and leisure components alone include around 6,500m2 of food and beverage space and 21 retail units, creating a dynamic new destination for West London.
For chapmanbdsp, the project demonstrates the practice's ability to deliver complex engineering solutions within highly constrained heritage environments while supporting ambitious architectural and sustainability goals. The successful opening of Six Senses London at Whiteleys marks not only the revival of a historic London landmark, but also a showcase of how innovative engineering can unlock the potential of historic buildings for modern, sustainable use.
