LSF Commercial’s curtain walling brings Hotel Indigo K-West to life

From concept to completion: Rainham-based aluminium systems specialist delivers full turnkey service on award-winning £45m London hotel transformation.

The former K West Hotel and Spa in Shepherd’s Bush closed its doors in December 2023, ready for a new chapter. What emerged from a £45m transformation is Hotel Indigo London K West Shepherd’s Bush, a striking reimagining of a 1960s former BBC office building, now home to 231 rooms and including a spa with vitality pool and gym.

Behind the glazed envelope that wraps this landmark building sits the work of LSF Commercial, celebrating 30 years at its Essex headquarters and manufacturing facility.

LSF was brought in to take architect Mosaic Architecture + Design’s original vision through detailed curtain wall design, engineering, survey, fabrication and installation, a complete in-house journey from drawing board to finished façade.

The bulk of the project used Schüco’s AWS 70 HI window system, while the FWS50 curtain wall system by Schüco was also installed.

“This project is a perfect example of what LSF was built to do,” said Director Onkar Toot. “We took the architect’s concept and carried it through every stage ourselves, refining the design, engineering the detail, surveying on site and fabricating and installing the finished system. That’s the value we bring; a client deals with one team from start to finish.”

While the windows made up the majority of the glazed envelope, it was the curtain walling that created the greatest technical challenge. Architectural constraints on the building meant the layout carried real complexity, with the main section of the screen sitting “in plane” using the FWS 50 stick curtain wall system, a 50mm face-width solution chosen for its clean lines and flexibility.

Within that in-plane section, LSF’s team incorporated two large door openings, a detail that demanded precision at every stage of design and fabrication.

“The curtain walling on this scheme was genuinely complex,” explained Onkar. “Getting a large stick system to sit cleanly in plane while accommodating substantial door openings takes careful engineering and a fabrication team who understand exactly what the design is asking of the material. That’s what we delivered.”

Elsewhere across the building, the AWS 70 HI window system was specified for its thermal performance and versatility, giving LSF’s team a consistent, high-performing solution to roll out across the majority of the façade.

The result speaks for itself on the award-winning hotel, and Onkar added: “We’re proud to have played our part in a scheme of this calibre. Seeing a building transformed like this, and knowing our façade work stands behind it, is exactly why we do what we do.”

LSF Commercial fabricates high-performance aluminium windows, doors, fire-rated systems, curtain walling and shopfronts for commercial projects nationwide, supplying sectors including commercial, education, retail, residential and healthcare.

For more information about how we can support with your project, contact us here.