Corinthian Villa

The Corinthian was the fourth Villa in a line of 6 new villas commissioned by The Crown Estates, situated on the Outer Circle in Regents Park, London.

The Corinthian Villa has a rather unusual serpentine central façade. The Italian architect Borromini was a great inspiration for this, during 1994 Quinlan Terry visited Rome and sketched a plan of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, designed in the 1930’s, built 1665-67. The way in which Borromini was able to create a sense of movement within a building has been used by the office in producing this wonderful flowing façade with its curves and details.

The columns are natural Portland stone, hand carved with spiral fluting. These are capped with reconstructed cast Corinthian capitals and a beautifully curved reconstructed stone entablature and pediment. The bases of the columns and the plinths they sit on are in natural Portland stone and are also carved. The reconstructed stone was used as a cost saving measure but it is almost impossible to tell the difference in the materials.