M by Montcalm
M by Montcalm is a 23-story hotel near Old Street tube station in Shoreditch, London. It was designed by architects Squire and Partners and delivered in collaboration with Executive Architects 5 Plus. It was completed July 2015.
The unusual building design was based on the proximity of the hotel to Moorfields Eye Hospital, which sits opposite it. The architects suggest that the facade ‘…expresses the idea of the optical and the visual’ and takes inspiration from the hypnotic, illusionary artwork of Bridget Riley.
The building is expressed by conflicting patterns of transparency, opacity and solidity, and includes confusing angles that break down the geometry of the underlying structure. Vertical and diagonal lines create a visual effect of depth and movement that appear to contradict the buildings actual form. At the lower levels, the building skin is lifted on a visually disorientating slant to reveal the hotel lobby, public bar and restaurant.
M by Montcalm has not been without controversy, being described as ‘very unfortunate for any hungover hipsters’, and ‘a myopic optical ruse that must have been hypnotic enough to secure it planning’. It was nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in 2015, an annual architectural prize awarded by the magazine Building Design to the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months. It was ‘beaten’ that year by the Walkie Talkie (20 Fenchurch Street).
Project data:
- Client Soneva Properties.
- Planning Consultant The London Planning Practice.
- Quantity Surveyor WT Partnership.
- Structure Adams Kara Taylor.
- Services Hoare Lea.
- Executive Architect 5 Plus.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Call for greater recognition of professional standards
Chartered bodies representing more than 1.5 million individuals have written to the UK Government.
Cutting carbon, cost and risk in estate management
Lessons from Cardiff Met’s “Halve the Half” initiative.
Inspiring the next generation to fulfil an electrified future
Technical Manager at ECA on the importance of engagement between industry and education.
Repairing historic stone and slate roofs
The need for a code of practice and technical advice note.
Environmental compliance; a checklist for 2026
Legislative changes, policy shifts, phased rollouts, and compliance updates to be aware of.
UKCW London to tackle sector’s most pressing issues
AI and skills development, ecology and the environment, policy and planning and more.
Managing building safety risks
Across an existing residential portfolio; a client's perspective.
ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign.
Core construction skills explained
Preparing for a career in construction.
Retrofitting for resilience with the Leicester Resilience Hub
Community-serving facilities, enhanced as support and essential services for climate-related disruptions.
Some of the articles relating to water, here to browse. Any missing?
Recognisable Gothic characters, designed to dramatically spout water away from buildings.
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.