Background
The OWO is on storied grounds. In 1530, Henry VIII moved the British monarchy’s seat of power to what was then called the Palace of Whitehall, where it stayed until the building was destroyed by fire in 1698. In 1906, construction was completed on the new War Office building, which housed the British War Office and intelligence agencies through both World Wars until 1964, serving as the venue for some of Sir Winston Churchill’s most iconic speeches, and the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s beloved James Bond novels.
Today, following a meticulous, 8-year restoration spearheaded by Hinduja Group, Onex Holding, EPR Architects, and dpa lighting consultants, along with other best-in-class collaborators, The OWO is a distinguished luxury hotel with 120 guest rooms and suites, 85 Raffles-branded residences, 12 destination restaurants and bars, and the first Guerlain Spa in the United Kingdom.
Lighting played a central role in this storytelling – adding dimension to suit the property’s varied uses while celebrating the charm of the existing architecture.
Design Goals
1. Transform the former government offices into a luxurious hotel and residences within the limitations of a Grade II*-listed historic building.
2. Create a top-of-the-line experience in hotel rooms, public spaces, and residences, on par with other Raffles properties around the world.
3. Offer guests luxurious modern amenities without compromising the historic design.
4. Make the guestroom experience customizable and intuitive for visitors from around the world.
Challenges
The design team was challenged with transforming a space initially designed to keep the public out—with large columns, rusticated masonry, and corner turrets—into an inviting, vibrant hospitality destination without erasing its past. As a Grade II*-listed building, the functionality of each space had to be reimagined with virtually no alterations to the historic structure. “The OWO’s unique mix of hospitality and residential use adds to the complexity of the design, significantly influencing the evolution of its public and private spaces,” explains David Scowcroft, Project Director at EPR.
With a myriad of space types from rooms to amenity spaces and residences, it was crucial that staff be able to seamlessly control the entire property. The team focused on selecting a system that was able to ensure this level of consistent, overarching control.
The Solution
“At EPR, our design process always begins with a deep study of the existing building and its context. This understanding shapes the entire project, informing what must be preserved and which spaces deserve to be celebrated,” says Scowcroft. Similarly, dpa lighting consultants knew they’d need to select a lighting, drapery, and controls partner they could trust to execute their holistic, elegant vision. “We’ve been around since 1958, so we’ve had a lot of time to cut our teeth and be experts in our field. For me and us as a practice, we gravitate towards Lutron—it's been around so long, all the equipment is excellent quality. There’s competition that does great work as well, but if I had the choice I would choose Lutron,” says Michael Curry, Associate Partner at dpa lighting consultants.
The Heart of a Hotel: Guestrooms and Suites
Link Media Systems and dpa chose Lutron’s myRoom guestroom management system to provide Raffles’ guests with the luxury experience they expect—from arrival to check out. “As the installer, the decision to choose Lutron MyRoom was driven primarily by the product's reliability and ease of commissioning. For the hotel, the key advantages lie in delivering an exceptional guest experience, with user-friendly operation as a central focus. Additionally, the potential for energy savings through guest presence detection and seamless integration with hotel systems was a significant consideration,” says Brandon Harvey, Technical Director at Link Media Systems.
“Simplicity is paramount,” Harvey continues, “From the moment a guest enters the room, the lighting system should be intuitive and effortless to use, creating a welcoming atmosphere with the touch of a switch. An often-overlooked feature is the system’s ability to activate a preset lighting scene automatically upon entry. This eliminates the need for guests to locate a keypad in a dark, unfamiliar space—an enhancement that significantly improves the overall experience.” Alena drapery works in tandem with room lighting to create a welcome scene that immediately sets a luxurious tone for guests, frames the view, and informs them that the drapery is automated. 
Keypad aesthetics were considered as carefully as keypad operation. “Lighting controls are often one of the few pieces of equipment that every guest or resident will regularly interact with,” said Scowcroft. “The keypads we selected needed to reflect the overall luxury and grandeur of the project. The Palladiom keypads were a natural choice for both the interior designers and our team.”
Room mockups were used to test multiple keypad styles before selecting Palladiom keypads in an Antique Brass finish to coordinate with the classic wood finishes. “Everyone’s been to a hotel where they’re confused with the switches,” says Michael Curry from dpa lighting consultants. “myRoom gave us the ability to be as detailed as we needed to be in the background so that it’s quite simple for the guest to use. We kept it to three scenes: bright, soft, relaxed, and all off.” The keypads combine English-language engraving with accessible icons to ensure that guests from anywhere in the world can easily understand scene selection and raise/lower adjustments. Dynamic backlighting, a unique feature of Palladiom keypads, subtly illuminates buttons based on the overall room light level, automatically dimming as the room darkens so the icons are visible without being bright enough to disturb a guest’s rest.
As a whole package, Lutron is brilliant for the client since they know the system will endure and be serviced and supported, and great for us as the designer
since it’s our recommendation and reputation on the line.
Living in a Piece of History
As the primary interior designer for the residences and resident amenities, 1508 London was tasked with translating Raffles’ signature combination of old-world elegance and contemporary refinement into 85 unique residences. They chose the same hand-finished metal Palladiom keypads and thermostats used to control automated drapery and lighting scenes in the hotel guestrooms. An additional 30,000 sq ft of resident-only amenities includes a private dining room, cinema, games room, courtyard, and yoga studio plus a secluded entrance separate from hotel guests, making this a rarified residential opportunity.
Restaurants, Bars, and the UK’s First Guerlain Spa
With nine dining destinations and three bars on site, including Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco’s eponymous restaurant, the gastronomy scene at The OWO has something for every taste. In these public spaces, the Lutron lighting control system allows for the same control experience as in the rest of the property, making it easy to set the scene no matter the occasion. Management and staff on-location and off-site can monitor and adjust lighting throughout the property – guestrooms, amenity spaces, and residences – from a single screen on a Lutron dashboard. “A single, user-friendly interface for controlling and monitoring the entire property was a key priority for the client. It enables real-time monitoring of guestroom status and allows for a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential faults or issues,” says Harvey.
In The Guerlain Spa, wellness, self-care, and fitness are elevated to impeccable standards. Occupying 27,000 square feet over four floors, the first Guerlain Spa in the UK was designed by Goddard Littlefair and offers a gym and movement studio, a 20-metre swimming pool, a vitality pool, steam and sauna rooms, and 9 luxurious treatment rooms to create harmony in the mind, body, and spirit. Lutron lighting and control systems make a memorable journey for each spa patron.
Results
Raffles London at The OWO has already stood the test of time—and the exacting choices made by the entire design and management team ensure it will endure for many more years to come. “Making sure that in 10 years+ time, the systems we specify are serviceable and maintainable is a top priority for us," says Michael Curry. “As a whole package, Lutron is brilliant for the client since they know the system will endure and be serviced and supported, and great for us as the designer since it’s our recommendation and reputation on the line.”
Raffles London at The OWO continues to elevate the brand’s legacy for unparalleled sophistication and service. The final design preserves the building’s integrity while creating a memorable experience for Raffles’ discerning international guests who expect 5-star luxury paired with a unique “sense of place” and history that only properties like The OWO can provide.
