Neo Bankside, an Overview

If one were to draw a line through modernist design and architectural history, Neo Bankside would sit alongside the Pompidou Centre, the Memphis Group, De Stijl Movement and a single dot by Paul Klee.

One suspects this is no accident and that world-renowned architects, Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners (R.S.H.P.) very much intended to cite such illustrious artists and movements in their design. Situated directly alongside The Tate Modern, (Which is becoming even more ‘modern’ with its twisted, screwed up pyramidal extension), Neo Bankside is itself a post-modern edifice that reawakens the notoriety for the avant-garde that the South Bank has always been famous for.

The external bracings hark back to Rogers’ iconic Lloyds of London building while the coloured planes could, in less sophisticated hands, have ended up a bad pastiche of modern masters. In the hands of R.S.H.P. however, it creates another reference point for design and architectural aficionados.

As one of the newest and most popular landmarks to be developed on the Southbank Neo Bankside has redefined industrial chic and modern city living.

Neo Bankside is, De Niewe Still.

A History of Neo Bankside

Situated on the south bank of the River Thames, Neo Bankside is located in a district known simply as Bankside, an area which has seen fantastic change over the years and yet has always maintained an arty alternative atmosphere not least crowned by one of the world’s most famous galleries Tate Modern.

However, Bankside was not always quite so reputable. In the middle-ages, as it was not under the regulations of the City of London Bankside was renowned for its brothels, hostelries and general debauchery.

It welcomed city workers, and affluent types to partake in its pleasures, its relative remoteness allowing the respected gentlemen to play away with impunity.

Ironically much of the land was owned by the Bishop of Winchester who made a considerable fortune by profiteering from the local prostitutes who became known affectionately as the Winchester Geese.

Today Bankside residents take their pleasures in more respectable pursuits and Bankside is one of London’s Business Improvement Districts, this ensures it has a constant stream of events taking place generating a local economy pulling in locals and visitors to its many galleries, bars cafes and restaurants.

Living & Investing In Neo Bankside

In a literal sense, Neo Bankside takes on board Piet Mondrian’s principles of plasticism, reducing the building to a series of forms and colours. Foregoing faddish, curvaceous forms, Neo Bankside’s decadence comes from its sheer expanse of shimmering, prismatic planes, the external bracing negating the need for bulky internal structure.

The natural environment bursts through, softening the geometry and creating stunning vistas that merge with the structure. This is very much about man meets nature as comfortable dwellings and steel structure combines with shifting skies and existential beauty.

But just before we ejaculate in an explosion of architectural self-love, let’s take a reality check, except that reality check really is actually a modernist ideal…

For example, the 16th-floor penthouse, designed by Jonathan Reed of Studio Reed, generates comfort and intimacy rarely seen in modern homes. Reed explains that he consciously created an apartment that uses light, texture and colour to create different areas and environments within the open-plan layout. The natural fabrics and soft furnishings are an inviting contrast to the glass and steel structural details. Reed describes the apartment as being: ‘A modern country house in the sky’.

One of the most stunning apartments is the Tom Bartlett for Waldo Works designed duplex, which features textural fabrics and graphic patterns adding emphasis to the industrial architecture. This is then relaxed with watery hues merging into the natural light. A double-height library creates bookish warmth and the colourful children’s rooms turn this masculine apartment into a real family home.

This blend of modernity and comfort has attracted a slightly older demographic who have made up a large proportion of purchasers in Neo Bankside and not just as rental investments or holiday homes.

It is in fact indicative of a general trend for London to appeal to an increasing number of downsizers who are looking to have a central London home as they are drawn to the cultural offerings and the convenience of city living.

This older appreciation of industrial chic and modernist living should come as no surprise. After all, many of them would have been consumers of postmodernism, growing up with giant egg cups on top of buildings, draping textiles by George Sowden or Natalie du Pasquier, pouring tea from surrealist teapots by Sotsass and dancing to New Order at the Hacienda.

But this is no sad comeback tour or nostalgia trip. Instead, Neo Bankside takes a flicker of past recognition and incorporates it into a new, hyper-real residential space that accommodates modern-day demands with form and function.

Therefore as one may expect in such a development, all the usual amenities are available including 24hr concierge, gym and spa and the requisite business suite. The site itself will also have restaurants and public spaces.

Internally, apartments are fitted out with the highest quality materials from brands that are synonymous with the best kitchens and bathrooms.

Minimal in its information and detail the Neo Bankside website makes a worthy assumption about its residents, knowing that such people don’t require a list of brand names and features. Quality is a given.

Neo Bankside & Beyond

With one of the world’s most popular art galleries as its immediate next-door neighbour, it would be easy to launch into the virtues of the Tate Modern and London’s art scene and how Neo Bankside residents will just love being part of the cultural vibe.

The Jerwood space is my own personal favourite, respected in art circles and thankfully devoid of Tate Moderns crowds its exhibitions being of a suitably diverse range of ‘Artists, artists’.

Brigade, the bistro and cookery school set up and funded by PWC is constantly booked out as diners fill their stomachs for a good cause. The forever popular; Baltic, Black and Blue and Bedales all prove that the B’s in Bankside are buzzing.

But let’s ignore the guidebook London. Neo Bankside dwellers are educated and travelled enough to suss out where to eat, drink and party.

Instead, jump in a cab to Greenwich, Camberwell or Soho and check out the independent record shops stocking original vinyl, rare New Order remixes and old Joy Division 12” classics. Relive the hissy plastic nostalgia that ended sometime in the mid-’90s in a brit pop-ish ‘e’d-up’ fug. (Somewhere in a field in Hampshire)!

In the same way that Neo Bankside residents like the rare b side remixes of their favourite band, they like design details to be subtle, details that need to be discovered.

None of the brash-bling-branding of Versace, ‘Neo B’s’ are more likely to be found shopping in Dover Street market than in Harrods and are certainly not averse tracking down up and coming designers in shops like Huh (London Rd Dalston) or Circus (Brixton Village).

Neo B’s like edgy, and niche but like the Neo Bankside development it’s a refined edge, a classy niche. After all no need to slum it just because you want to hang out with artists. Mondrian was famous for his studio itself being a piece of art. Similarly, Neo Bankside presents itself as a lifestyle-as-art-form and Ideal for living. We think Mondrian would have approved.