Latest news with #Finnish-American
Forbes
01-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
A New London Hotel Is Opening In The Former American Embassy
Rosewood London's already-booming luxury hotel scene is poised for a remarkable new addition this year, with the upcoming opening of The Chancery Rosewood. Set in a prime location in Mayfair, the 144-key, all-suite property is now accepting reservations for stays commencing on September 1, 2025. The hotel's home, the former U.S. Embassy at 30 Grosvenor Square, is a Grade II-listed building steeped in history. Designed by the renowned Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and completed in 1960, it was the first purpose-built chancery in London. Saarinen's design is characterized by its grand façade and distinctive diagrid ceiling, symbolizing the diplomatic relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Over the decades, this iconic building has witnessed numerous significant events, including pivotal diplomatic negotiations and high-profile visits from U.S. presidents. The new hotel will include eight restaurants and bars, including the first European outpost of New York's famed Carbone and a new Asian concept restaurant. The Eagle Bar, named after the iconic golden eagle that has adorned the building since its inception, will offer a rooftop bar experience, which is a rarity for Mayfair. There will also be an expansive spa with an 82-foot pool indoor swimming pool, one of the largest in the capital. The transformation of this historic edifice into The Chancery Rosewood is being meticulously overseen by the Pritzker prize-winning British architect Sir David Chipperfield, who preserves Saarinen's original mid-century modern aesthetic while also infusing it with modern-day elegance. French interior architect Joseph Dirand complements the approach, drawing inspiration from the sophistication of the 1920s and the flamboyance of the 1960s with a warm, rich color palette; walnut paneling; and metallic accents, all meant to evoke the ambiance of a traditional British gentlemen's club. Rosewood Rosewood Hotels & Resorts manages a global collection of 37 unique luxury hotels, resorts, and residences across 22 countries, including The Carlyle in New York, Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and Rosewood Hong Kong. The Chancery Rosewood will be the brand's second London establishment, following the acclaimed Rosewood London in Holborn, which is celebrated for its Edwardian architecture and exceptional hospitality. In addition to The Chancery Rosewood, the brand has several other openings on the horizon, including Rosewood Amsterdam, which is also set debut in 2025, in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Canal District of Amsterdam.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The real-life Lumon office from Severance is just one hour from New York City — and it's open to the public
Severance fans whose outies are eager to visit the home of the show's mysterious Lumon corporation will be pleased to learn that the real-life building is only an hour's drive from New York City — and it's open for business. To viewers, the six-story, mirrored glass structure is well-known for being the eerily sterile office building where the show's severed characters clock in for work every day. However, to the townspeople of Holmdel, New Jersey — where the real-life building stands — it's a multi-purpose space with offices, shops, and eateries open to the public. Called Bell Works, the building was designed by Finnish-American modernist architect Eero Saarinen and constructed between 1959 and 1962. It originally served as a 'pivotal research and development hub' to Bell Labs, the research and development arm of AT&T, according to the Holmdel Historical Society. It was abandoned in 2007 and later bought in 2013 and renovated by developer Ralph Zucker, who turned it into 'a one-of-a-kind destination for business and culture,' per the Bell Works website. While Severance isn't the only TV show to shoot at Bell Works — it's also been featured in American Horror Story and Emergence — the Apple TV+ series has certainly increased its popularity among tourists. Speaking to Curbed about the building's recent surge in visitors looking to take a selfie outside or inside the lobby, Zucker said: 'I have heard that we have a lot more people coming in and taking pictures of themselves in the space. We have a whole team that works on social media, and they're inundated.' He noted that there are no formal tours available for visitors. Instead, they are given free rein to walk around the lower levels. The building was discovered in 2019 by Severance 's director of photography, Jessica Lee Gangé, who was tasked with finding a filming location that would stand in for the show's ominous Lumon Industries headquarters. While searching the internet for dilapidated and abandoned malls, she came across Bell Works. 'When I saw the overhead of it, I was like, this can't be true,' she recalled in a new interview with the New York Times. 'Is this a real place?' Of the 'mind-blowing moment,' Gagné added: 'There was a part of me that couldn't believe how perfect it was.' Bell Works' central atrium, lobby, and wide-open parking lot were the main areas used as establishing shots for the show. The rest of the scenes were filmed on various sound stages around New York, according to Curbed. Although the building is portrayed in Severance as 'this empty devoid-of-life space,' as described by Zucker, he assured that 'in reality, we're literally teeming with life.'
