The exterior follows traditional Georgian architecture of the area / ©Michael Sinclair / Chelsea Barracks, Banda
Once one of London ’s most important sites for the British Army, Chelsea Barracks is now looking to house a very different type of occupier.
Built in 1860 on the banks of the Thames, the site remained out of public reach for more than 150 years. That was until developers Qatari Diar Europe transformed the almost 13-acre site in Belgravia into an almost entirely new neighborhood.
In 2007 The Qatari Diar development company purchased the 12.8 acre site for £959 million ($1.2 billion). It is the most expensive real estate transaction in the United Kingdom’s history, and one of the priciest residential real estate deals in the world.
The site now includes nearly 450 residences that will be built in several phases. properties currently for sale include a £5.7 million two-bedroom residence, up to a £55 million townhouse.
The white limestone and iron surrounding the home’s exteriors are public gardens, which make up 40% of the site’s grounds.
The informal living room / ©Banda
Seeking out multidisciplinary, design -led property practice Banda to collaborate on a luxury family home in Chelsea Barracks.
CEO and founder Edoardo “Edo” Mapelli Mozzi explained he designed the six-floor townhouse with family in mind – more specifically, that family being his own. (A notable and noble endeavor made more so when you realize his wife is Princess Beatrice.)
The informal living room / ©Banda
The result is a five-bedroom townhouse that is made for longevity. It doesn’t want to be your pied-à-terre but is screaming for more permanent roots. As such, Banda took the ‘perfectly imperfect’ approach for this home in Chelsea Barracks, lending from the wabi-sabi theory that honors the human touch rather than machine-made craft.
“There’s a feeling of the unexpected,” Mapelli Mozzi added, “an energy around the blend of the traditional and the contemporary with an emphasis on the ‘hand-made’ which gives us a window into each and every person involved in the journey of this design.”
The expansive kitchen / ©Banda
That mindset to marry practicality with elegance led to many of Banda’s decisions while working on the Chelsea Barracks property.
The interiors are designed to make inhabitants feel profoundly at ease, encouraging an easygoing informal atmosphere.
Bauwerk limewash encourages a tactile and lived-in feel, playfully juxtaposing the building’s historic and characteristic exterior, while the heavy emphasis on natural materials such as timber, leather, stone, and metal were chosen for their robust beauty and calming vibe.
The kitchen’s relaxed in-dining area / ©Banda
Intentional and impeccable custom furniture leaves the home feeling relaxed, but far from rustic. In the living room, the L-shaped sofa, custom-designed by Banda, is covered in a Mark Alexander linen fabric.
The property's expansive kitchen is on the lower ground floor, where the dining table by Arda Yeniay sits perfectly with the custom banquette by Banda, flanked by ‘Mawu’ chairs designed by Laura Gonzalez, they create a sense of soft elegance.
One of the property’s five bedrooms / ©Banda
Between the property‘s six floors, it boasts five bedrooms and five bathrooms. A formal and informal dining room, a living room, a private garden, and a roof terrace with sweeping views across London.
The property’s private wellness center ©Banda
The bottom floor houses a cinema room, while owners have access to the largest and most exclusive private wellness space in the SW1 postcode.
It is here, the private pool 37-foot surpasses even some of the area’s best hotels and spas.
The townhouse is listed for £42 million Euros, or $52.3 million USD.
