The Napier Room at Peninsula London

We took an intriguing and unusual call from Tekne shopfitters and joiners in Poole, asking if we could make or press louvres for an ambitious project for the 5-star London Hotel, Peninsula London. The conversation developed quickly, and we were asked to provide an estimate for all metalworking considerations for the entire room, plus bespoke metalwork for other aspects of Tekne’s brief. In a follow-up face-to-face meeting, we quickly reassured Tekne that DMark could deal with everything they were asking across the installation, and also provide expert consultation on related
aspects.

The Napier Room, designed by Archer Humphry Architects, with their interpretation of HSH Chairman Sir Michael Kadoorie’s vision, would comprise entirely of louvred aluminium panelling and brass detail on all walls and ceilings. We would manufacture all metal parts, fit and attach some to substructures within our own workspace, and support Tekne through the installation phase.

Our decades-long background in vintage car bodywork positioned us perfectly for the job, and despite its vast scope and timeline demands, we gladly took on the project. We knew we could do it, and quickly reassured the client of our capabilities.

At DMark we’re naturally focused on geometrics, measurements and alignment. So as soon as we laid eyes on the room’s early drawings we knew precision and authenticity would be key – but also a challenge, with more than 325 individual aluminium panels to consider.

So how do you produce so many separate and varied brass trim details and metal panels, that must all align correctly and contact-fit against each other? By being painstakingly meticulous, is the short answer…

DMark’s work has always involved tailoring and alignment, and to achieve the best results we often make our own in-house fixtures and invent ways to overcome difficulties, as we occasionally did with the Napier Room project. It was also sometimes necessary for us to attach the metalwork to various substructures themselves – such as the 100-inch tall sliding door – at our workshop rather than anywhere else, so they were fully finished before being sent to site.

Nowadays we can rely on sophisticated equipment to achieve unparalleled accuracy, but when a large part of our work is still hand-forming sheet metal we still need to make sure those sections align perfectly with any laser-cut boundary.

With any precision project of scale, the knock-on effect of any misalignment merely amplifies, so DMark suggested using the metal-facing panelling as strict templates. This approach benefited both Tekne’s factory and on-site teams, as well as us back in the workshop, because we were working to tight tolerances and sometimes combining two or more elements into one to make installation easier.

Producing louvres consistently and accurately to the given dimensions, across so many flat, polished, and diverse curved panels, isn’t easy. One of our initial flags to the team was the specified narrowness of the spaces between each louvre. This could cause the sheet aluminium to deform during the panel’s construction, where it is weakest, and pull the louvres out of shape.

After careful consideration, we devised a unique way of pressing the louvres that ensured they could support each other and stay geometrically accurate, and not ‘pull’ or deform. We innovated by pressing in reverse to ensure the louvre shape was drawn from the stiffer plain, which has far more structural integrity. 

DMark designed and made all the custom tooling and fixtures for this specific use case, as well as others across the job.

Achieving a consistent fault-free finish across so many different size and shaped panels isn’t easy. After consultations with the design team, a re-specification of the original finish with a deeper lustre ensured a better overall aesthetic. In a nice touch, we even ended up using the same finishing polish currently being applied to the actual Napier Railton on display at Brooklands… and, on occasion, at Peninsula London.

Some key aspects of the signed off specification, and its practicability, meant we had to draw on our experience and knowledge to quickly solve issues that had been unexpected, overlooked or only part-defined. 

Several such issues had caused delays during the project’s early phases, before we started work, but we secured full confidence from Tekne and HSH in applying our knowledge and capability to the specifics, and to the wider project context. This meant we weren’t stumped by anything, and didn’t need to keep going ‘back to the drawing board’ and submitting changes for approval for every variation.

We brought adaptability and ‘on the spot’ solutions to otherwise time-consuming and potentially problematic snags. For example, DMark quickly designed and produced full-size ceiling bucks when the original plans changed mid-build, and further developed and refined a way to have nearly every panel mechanically detach and reattach in a dependable yet ‘hidden’ way. 

With understanding and appreciation of other aspects of the design and build, we could find alternative approaches quickly, and without the need for lengthy change and approval processes. This made life a lot easier for Tekne in Poole, as we could work in continuous liaison with them.

The Napier Room project was by far the largest project we’ve ever taken on. It was ominous at first, but we quickly realised that our experience, attention to detail and skillset would play a big part in ensuring the quality it demanded, and aligning with Peninsula’s brand values.

Tekne and other stakeholders quickly acknowledged this, and entrusted us to make the right decisions at the right times. We played a much more consultative role than we initially anticipated, but we gladly took this on – and alongside our practical output, enhanced the project’s resilience.

We’ve since seen the finished result, and The Napier Room really takes your breath way. Inspiration from the 1930s vintage racing car can be felt throughout the room, and you’re practically sitting inside the bonnet. If you can, it’s worth a visit to witness the scale and detail!  

We’re genuinely proud of our contribution, and glad we could support the wider project’s success through our experience, flexibility, and persistent focus on quality. It took it out of us, but it was more than worth it. It validates our expertise and illustrates the value of our experience to larger projects. 

To find out more about this project, or to discuss yours, get in touch.