Fitzroy Place is located right in the heart of London – in the district of Fitzrovia, just a few minutes from Oxford Street, Regent Street and Regent’s Park. This area has always attracted artists and creatives – and was once home to Charles Dickens, Arthur Rimbaud and Virginia Woolf. Fitzroy Place is a unique collection of new buildings, comprising apartments, shops, restaurants, cafés and office space, all organised around a green square. At the centre lies Fitzrovia Chapel, erected at the end of the 19th century.
The complex replaces the former Middlesex Hospital, of which only Fitzrovia Chapel remains. It contains 235 apartments, including suites, maisonettes and a penthouse. The apartments, designed by renowned interior designer Johnson Naylor, combine classic English style with chic, minimalist elegance. The penthouse offers light, luxurious rooms with marble walls in the bathrooms, polished plaster and a roof terrace with bar, cooking area, outdoor TV and audio system. From here you can enjoy the spectacular view of London's West End and the 189-metre BT Tower.
The cabled Gira Smart Building system has been installed in the penthouse, giving users maximum comfort and excellent security. It also offers the opportunity to integrate audio, video and monitoring systems, as well as programme the unit based on personal preferences and needs. KNX also permits integration of devices from other manufacturers. The devices communicate in the same programming language (IP) across all aspects, and can be implemented using a single software tool (ETS).
Integrating climate control into the KNX system was a particular challenge due to its complexity. Here, individual systems had to be able to communicate with one another in order to efficiently regulate the temperature in the penthouse: underfloor heating, electric heated floor mats, various fan coil units and a gas fireplace. The sunlight coming in the 7-metre-high windows also had to be taken into account in the temperature control. The temperature is controlled based on a defined setpoint value. Thermostats in the rooms then ensure efficient, individual temperature regulation.
The Gira HomeServer is used to control complex tasks and scenarios. With this and the corresponding intuitive operating devices, users have complete control over their space, receiving status feedback for all functions.
The aim of the system technology was to implement this powerful KNX system through a visually appealing and intuitive user interface. The control panels on the walls had to fit in with the clean design of the penthouse. In addition, the touch sensors had to be modern and minimalist. With this in mind, the Gira E22 design line in aluminium was chosen, mounted flat on the wall. Each touch sensor is laser-labelled, providing a clear overview of the various functions. Light scenes, heating, ventilation, air conditioning technology and curtain control have all been integrated.
Because the specialists at "Sound & Vision" offer remote maintenance of their KNX systems as standard, the status of devices can be checked from outside and any errors can be diagnosed and remedied without the user having to be disturbed. The basis for this is once again the Gira HomeServer and a virtual private network.
