A casing point

Lilly Lewarne demonstrates nearly three decades of architectural experience, bringing to life the vision of the Headland Hotel’s all-new Aqua Club.

For those who follow us here at Cornwall Living, the name Lilly Lewarne may well ring a bell. An award-winning chartered architectural practice based in Truro, Lilly Lewarne brings more than 25 years’ experience in Cornish architecture to the table, and the team pride themselves on their depth of local knowledge and sterling reputation for excellent design. To prove it, we could take you on a journey through the many projects the team has been involved with, however we feel that one very recent – and particularly special – project sums up everything that Lilly Lewarne’s clients, past and present, value in this excellent Cornish firm.

The iconic Headland Hotel in Newquay perches above the sands of Fistral, and its ethos of moving with the times and delivering what its modern clientele expect from a contemporary luxury hotel well and truly sets it apart from the competition. It was this ethos that saw owners John and Carolyn Armstrong embark on the development of the hotel’s all-new, multi-million-pound leisure experience, The Aqua Club. And who better to help bring their vision to life than Lilly Lewarne Architects?

“Our brief on this project was simple, to create an exceptional and outstanding building, and to ‘wow’ the client.”

Lilly Lewarne is a multi-disciplinary practice and as company Director, James tells us: “Our strength is our people, all of whom are members of their relevant professional body.” With Mark Duston, the Lead Project Architect for the Headland Hotel development, James agrees that to go from the concept to completion, without having to compromise on the design, is incredibly rewarding. In the case of the new Aqua Club, you need only quickly compare the initial 3D designs with photographs of the finished article, to see just how meticulously the team executed this impressive new spa facility. 

“Our brief on this project was simple,” explains Mark. “To create an exceptional and outstanding building, and to ‘wow’ the client.” On all fronts, it’s fair to say they delivered, but to call the brief ‘simple’ could be called somewhat modest. In fact, the entire project was undertaken with minimising the impact of the building very much in mind, as Mark explains: “We specified the use of natural stone and colouring to help the building blend into its environment as much as possible. A living roof and natural planting on stone hedging also help minimise the visual impact of the building, as well as providing a natural habitat for the flora and fauna found around the peninsula.” Mark and the team even considered the impact of extra visitors and as a result, designated an underground car park as part of the new development.

“The Aqua Club will bring top-of-the-range facilities to our guests,” explains hotelier John Armstrong, who owns the Headland along with his wife, Carolyn. “As our accommodation provision has grown, existing facilities are in high demand, particularly the spa and restaurants during high season. The Aqua Club will take the Headland into the next decade and beyond, providing the luxury experience that the destination has become well-known for.”

With experience in commercial, educational, medical, leisure, spa, hotels and all aspects of residential architecture, Lilly Lewarne brings a broad range of professional expertise to the fore. The team are confident in their ability to meet and surpass the demands of any brief, and the Headland Hotel’s all new Aqua Club, to put it simply, serves as a casing point.

Lilly Lewarne Architects
01872 261000
architects@lillylewarne.co.uk
www.lillylewarne.co.uk