Join SAVE and Robert Ayton, former head of design and conservation (Central Area) at Westminster City Council, of a walking tour of West End.
This walk will start in west Mayfair and end in Soho and will explore notable projects overseen by Robert during his time at Westminster City Council, including the transformation of Eero Saarinen's former US Embassy on Grosvenor Square and the conversion of the 1920s Macy’s Garage on Balderton Street, both into luxury hotels. In Soho we will look at a variety of buildings, including the Marshall Street Baths, Brewer Street Car Park and Wardour Street Car Park (also remodelled into a hotel).
This tour will focus on recent buildings which balance development, conservation and good design to ensure that contemporary architecture is in keeping with the historic city.
Robert Ayton, spent 30 years as Head of Design and Conservation for Westminster City Council’s Central Area, overseeing major developments across the West End. He joined Donald Insall Associates as Senior Heritage Consultant in 2021.
Meet: outside Davies Street exit of Bond Street Underground Station (Elizabeth Line, 65 Davies St, W1K 5JL) for a prompt start at 5:30pm.
Please note that this walk consist solely of exterior visits and will end during twilight.
Images:1- Former American Embassy [credit: Matt Brown CC BY 2.0] 2- Brown Hart Gardens [credit: SAVE] 3- ROOM by Antony Gormley at The Beaumont Hotel [credit: SAVE] 4- Silence by Tadao Ando: a water sculpture offering calm in Mayfair [credit: SAVE]
