The Zetter occupies a refurbished Victorian warehouse building on a tight urban site in the heart of Clerkenwell, London. The brief was to create a hotel that would connect social and private spaces on all levels while avoiding the ‘rabbit warren’ of corridors often associated with hotel designs. The architectural concept was developed around a five storey atrium, with rooms wrapping around the building’s external envelope. Walkways overlooking the atrium provide access to all rooms, while allowing natural light and air to penetrate deep into the building’s interior. An on-site borehole provides both grey and drinking water. This innovative spatial design maximised the number of guest-rooms achievable per floor. The result is an innovative yet sensitive solution that has reinvented the inner city hotel experience, putting environmental design top of the agenda. “While the hotel’s capacity is 59 rooms, its handling gives the Zetter the sort of characterful intimacy more often associated with Country House Hotels. It is a place to be, not a point in passing.” Barrie Evans - Architectural Journal