Press release February 2015
ELEY KISHIMOTO revives Centre Point as its new creative ambassador
ELEY KISHIMOTO has been appointed by property development and investment company, Almacantar, to be a creative ambassador for the revival of Centre Point, one of London's most iconic, brutalist buildings designed by R. Seifert and Partners in the 1960s.
Working alongside design consultancy Hat-Trick, pattern expert ELEY KISHIMOTO has created a new visual identity for this architectural landmark whilst retaining the spirit of the original building. In collaboration with Hat-Trick, ELEY KISHIMOTO first created an exclusive series of prints for Centre Point in 2013, inspired by the building’s original architecture and heritage.
Private View by ELEY KISHIMOTO for Centre Mono Beehive by ELEY KISHIMOTO for Centre Point Point
Almacantar will revive the Grade II-listed building to create 82 exclusive residential apartments with retail and restaurant space, centred on a new public piazza overlooking New Oxford Street. Works are expected to finish in the second quarter of 2017.
Over the course of the revival of Centre Point, ELEY KISHIMOTO's ambition is to reinforce a meaningful influence on the building and its surrounds, through:
The building wrap, in the studio’s bespoke pattern entitled Private View, was first placed around the tower's facade in January 2015. ELEY KISHIMOTO's print will be applied to the facade layer upon layer, rising to 385 feet into the skyline, and the striking artwork will be visible for miles across London.
A new pattern called Mono Beehive will be used on the concrete façade of the affordable housing located on site, working closely with architect Rick Mather.
Graphic patterns, taken from ELEY KISHIMOTO’s capsule fashion collection, will be showcased on an array of surface coverings and soft furnishings in the interiors of the new residential apartments, realised by design company Conran and Partners.
ELEY KISHIMOTO’s fashion collection for Centre Point
With ELEY KISHIMOTO’s signature fun, light-hearted approach, the reinvention of Centre Point will breathe new life into this historic landmark. The redevelopment will be realised in time for the arrival of the new Crossrail station at Tottenham Court Road in 2019, playing an important role in the rebirth of this central London hub.
Mark Eley of ELEY KISHIMOTO comments “The power of the pattern is what gives Centre Point its majesty and, having been long inspired by the building, it was a very natural step to embark on this new venture with Almacantar. Our aim is to translate the spirit of the building into our designs, and it’s the iconic design, heritage and location of this landmark that makes this project so exciting for us.”
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For press information and images, please contact the ELEY KISHIMOTO team at Caro Communications:
Jeffrey Cheung, Account Director Lucy Price, Account Manager
T: +44(0)20 7713 9388 E: [email protected] / [email protected] W: www.carocommunications.com @carocomms
For press enquiries regarding Centre Point, please contact Claire Wood or Laura Gainsford on 0207 260 2700 or email [email protected]
Notes to editors
About ELEY KISHIMOTO
Living by the maxim "Print The World," ELEY KISHIMOTO has always strived to create work that is executed simply, clear in intention, exhibiting a unique creative flair that rejects passing trends and fads.
From a partnership forged in the early 90s, ELEY KISHIMOTO quickly gained a reputation for incisive and intelligent print design with its craftsmanship gracing the world's catwalks via work with Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, Alber Elbaz and Jil Sander, to name but a few.
In the mid 90s the partnership moved into the fashion world with the launch of its first womenswear collection; this proved to be such a success that the company has continued to produce its own ELEY KISHIMOTO line ever since.
Although initially earned as a result of its vibrant fashion collections, the company's renown has always been very much associated with its freedom to decorate anything and everything. It is this print design aesthetic that is key to its works' identity.
Thus following hot on the hemline of its collections came a steady stream of ever more varied design product. Wallpapers, furniture, furnishing fabrics, glassware and crockery led on to more industrial based design work in the automotive, architectural and electronics worlds, whilst also working with individual artists and galleries. The company sees each new design challenge as a platform from which to communicate with a wider, more varied audience.
Creative directors for Paris-based fashion house Cacharel between 2008 and 2009, MARK ELEY and WAKAKO KISHIMOTO are currently artistic directors of a new line for the Japanese market Laura Ashley London.
Collaborative works with BMW motorbikes, Eastpak bags, Duvel beer, Incase (Macbook, iPhone, iPad accessories) amongst others, incorporating the key Flash print is a further development of this aesthetic and yet another intriguing twist in the continuing story of those shapeshifters of the print world, ELEY KISHIMOTO. www.eleykishimoto.com
About Centre Point
Built in 1966 on St Giles Circus, Centre Point has enjoyed a colorful history: admired as the original ‘Pop Art skyscraper’, lambasted as it lay largely empty over its lifetime, bemoaned as a concrete eyesore, then celebrated for its ‘elegance worthy of a Wren steeple’.
Centre Point benefits from a prime location at the intersection of Soho, Covent Garden, Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia. Centre Point is adjacent to Tottenham Court Road station, which will become one of Central London’s major transportation hubs with the arrival of Crossrail in 2018.
With the arrival of Crossrail and the rapid regeneration of the area around Tottenham Court Road and St Giles, there is a unique opportunity to revive a London landmark, sitting at the heart of this area of transformation. Centre Point, which was granted listed building status in 1995, is being transformed by Almacantar and its architects Rick Mather Architects and Conran and Partners who will be reviving its sixties design appeal alongside cutting edge design and technology.
The new scheme comprises the development of:
• 82 residential flats (16 x one bedroom, 37 x two bedroom, 26 x three bedroom, 2 x 4 bedroom and 1 x 5 bedroom duplex) and attractive amenities including a pool, spa, fitness and lounge facilities. • 41,780 square feet of retail and restaurant space • 13 affordable homes (8 x one bedroom, 3 x three bedroom and 2 x four bedroom) and associated basement car parking • New pedestrian link through to Centre Point House and the affordable housing development • A public piazza comprising of a series of retail outlets, eateries and open air space. The retail units will be built within and under the bridge link and in the lower floors of Centre Point House, some overlooking Oxford Street and New Oxford Street from above ground level. www.centrepointlondon.com
About Almacantar
Almacantar is a property investment and development company that specialises in large- scale, complex investments in Central London, with the potential to create long-term value through development, repositioning or active asset management. Under the leadership of Mike Hussey, the team brings together a combination of strategic skills, relationships and a deep knowledge of the Central London market.
Almacantar works on a small number of high-value projects, taking a prudent approach to risk and aligning the interests of its shareholders with those of its business model.
By focusing on the fundamentals, driven by real property skills, Almacantar unlocks opportunities to create value for its developments and investors.
Since launching in 2010, Almacantar has acquired a number of prime assets with untapped potential in the heart of London including Centre Point, Marble Arch Tower, CAA House and 125 Shaftesbury Avenue. www.almacantar.com