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Embrace Building Wraps, the UK’s leading specialist in printed building wrap solutions, has completed a remarkable project at Admiralty Arch, one of London’s most iconic landmarks. The company has installed a giant printed CGI tromp l’oeil scaffold wrap that replicates the original facade of the historic building, which is being converted into a luxury hotel for Waldorf Astoria.
Admiralty Arch was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of Queen Victoria and completed in 1910 by architect Sir Aston Webb, the creator of The Mall and the main facade at Buckingham Palace. The Grade I listed building, which spans the entrance to The Mall from Trafalgar Square, has been vacant for years and is undergoing a major renovation to become a five-star hotel, residences and private members club.
Embrace Building Wraps has worked closely with the developer Ruben Brothers and the main contractor Knight Build to create a stunning visual solution that preserves the aesthetic and historical integrity of the building while the works are in progress. The company has installed offset frames to the main access scaffold (Peri Up System Scaffold) and cloaked the elevation facing Buckingham Palace in a 2,945m2 one to one CGI image of the building on a printed scaffold wrap.
The digitally printed wrap, which covers an area of approximately 155m wide and 19m high, is made up of five separate offset frames and five printed wraps to accommodate the concave arch. The section on the loading gantry above the three arches is set forward 2.5m from the main wrap and this structure has been clad in plywood and dressed in printed graphics using a mix of a spirit flex frame at the top and two thirds down the columns. The lower parts are wrapped in hard-wearing printed ACP panels. To enhance the visual impact, the visible scaffold set back and faces Trafalgar Square on the upper roof line has been clad in a printed fire rated scaffold sheeting in a blue-sky design.
Greg Forster, MD at Embrace Building Wraps, said: “Greg Forster, Managing Director at Embrace Building Wraps, said “This project was a huge challenge for us, but we love challenges, and we always find a way to deliver an outstanding visual outcome. The size of the project, the shape of the building, the quality of the artwork and the installation were all very demanding, but we are very proud of the result. We have created a realistic and seamless CGI image of the building that blends in with the surroundings and respects the heritage of the site. We have a lot of experience in working with hotels and delivering high-quality building wraps that enhance their brand and reputation. We have delivered projects for Nobu Portland Square, The Beaumont, The Dorchester, The Peninsular London, The Ritz and now Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch. We are delighted to be part of this prestigious project and to contribute to the transformation of this landmark building.”
The artwork was created by Embrace Building Wraps’ Creative Team, who used historical online references and selected the most suitable images of the building. They then applied various effects and techniques to create a realistic and consistent image that considers the natural and ambient lighting, the time of year and day, the weather conditions and the shadow fall out. The artwork also captures the fine Victorian architectural detail from the statues on the bullnoses, the crests above the arches and the text on the centre of the arch.
The wrap will be on the scaffold for approximately eighteen months, until the completion of the renovation works. The hotel is expected to open in 2025 and will feature 96 rooms and suites, a rooftop bar, a spa, a ballroom, and several restaurants.