Monkey Island, Bray
Client & Practice: YTL Hotels, Nash Partnership
Role: Revit & BIM modelling of existing buildings, island, and estate; flythroughs, design options, and illustrations
Time on project: 260 hours
Project Status: Completed
Monkey Island is the story of a remarkable redevelopment of an island in the Thames, lead by YTL as part of their international range of luxury hotels. The island itself has a history dating back several centuries, with exotic secrets that were gradually (and in some cases expensively) discovered over the course of the project. Even beyond the buildings themselves, the island itself turned out to be largely manmade, having been created from piles of ash shipped out following the Great Fire of London.
Having originally been associated with the nearby Merton Priory in the 12th century, the primary heritage feature of the existing buildings on the site was the so-called “monkey room”, dating back to the island’s development in the early 18th century. All the other structures and extensions had been added in whole or piece-meal fashion at later dates. The heritage history of each of those additions was fascinating, complex, and (as it turns out) too lengthy to go into here.
The highlight of the project is undoubtedly the exquisite interior design, conducted by Champalimaud Design. The firm has worked with YTL and Wessex Water for some time, including on the prestigious Gainsborough Hotel development in Bath.
My role on this project was as part of the initial modelling of the island, all the proposed developments, and the existing buildings (including the Grade I-listed Pavilion). This was the first time Nash had attempted to model heritage assets in-house, having previously relied on external surveyors (with the many problems this then brings).
We used the models extensively for design and drawing production, and also for a continuing series of flythroughs and renders. These were used as a regular staple of presentations to the client and wider consultant team, many of whom would arrive suitably jet-lagged for meetings (the international nature of the team requiring frequent flying).
