5/6 Connaught Place

MDU’s, or multiple dwelling units, are the last things that you would associate with the seven luxury apartments at 5/6 Connaught Place that have just won my colleagues and I the Crestron Integration Award 2015 – for Best Multiple Dwelling Installation!

When we were asked to put the project forward for the much coveted prize we had to research the meaning behind the acronym MDU, something we now realise is much more akin to high-rise apartment blocks. Nonetheless, we were really pleased that our design and installation of the intelligent building management systems (BMS!) was worthy of an award.

Based on KNX technology we installed a building wide system that controls everything from lighting, heating, air conditioning, security, Internet connectivity, and telephony, through to the personalised touch panels in each of the residences.

Over and above the base building installation we were commissioned by Redrow London to outfit the show apartments with comprehensive, bespoke, audio/visual systems.

Working in tandem with Interior design firm ‘1508 London’ we integrated our equipment in as seamless way as possible. Attention to detail has been absolutely critical.

From ensuring that speaker grilles are colour matched and paint sprayed to disappear into walls and ceilings, to making certain that every single programmable light switch is fitted absolutely flush and square, nothing is too much trouble.

I have been very lucky to visit the development now that it is finally finished and each of the apartments on the market. With views over Hyde Park and located in a highly sought after residential area a stone’s throw from Marble Arch these apartments range in price from £8m to £20m. Hence my comment at the outset that the term MDU really doesn’t do them justice!