Number One, Centre Point, New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1DB - £55m (guide price)
Key details
Duplex penthouse sitting atop one of London’s most treasured and recognisable national landmarks, the highest penthouse of its kind in the West End.
The 7,285 sq ft Grade II-listed residence spans the entirety of the 33rd and 34th floors, and offers 360-degree views of the city from London’s only residential full wraparound terrace.
Inside, the open-plan design allows residents to move and live freely between all areas, with floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the space with natural light from sunrise to sunset.
The penthouse has London's only residential full wraparound terrace. James Burns
Almacantar collaborated with renowned British interior design house Spinocchia Freund to furnish the apartment, with inspiration taken from the worlds of art, fashion and music.
Patrick Morey-Burrows, art adviser and founder of Art.Source, was engaged to select and commission original pieces from contemporary artists such as Richard Long, Richard Wentworth, Eva Menz, Keita Miyazaki, Jeppe Hein and Bram Bogart.
An aerial view of the soaring Centre Point. Jason Hawkes
The hand-picked furnishings
The furnishings include hand-picked pieces from a global collection, which Spinocchia Freund founderBrigitta Spinocchia Freund meticulously built over time.
The exclusive assemblage is also inspired by Centre Point’s location and includes wall‑mounted guitars, hand‑selected from the music shops on Denmark Street, Soho.
Considering even the smallest detail, collectable vintage furniture, rare textiles and high-quality materials feature throughout, as well as a bespoke china collection designed specifically for the dining room with a design nod to the London skyline.
The extensive rooms
Spaces throughout the penthouse include a large bar, dining room, cinema, music room and a secret wine-tasting room, making it the perfect residence for contemporary living and entertaining.
The expansive double-height bar area, which seats 24 people, is positioned to view sunsets over west London. The centrepiece is a large-scale artwork by Turner Prize winner Richard Long, created in situ and applied directly on to the wall.
The principal suite is comprised of a bedroom, dressing room and en-suite bathroom.
The floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding door offer direct access to the terrace, where residents can enjoy a view of London's skyline framed by the iconic Centre Point letters. New LED replacements have been engineered with woven mesh to prevent the obstruction of views and unwanted light in the penthouse.
Residents can enjoy incredible sunrises across east London, a view framed by the iconic Centre Point building. James Burns
The numerous amenities
All Centre Point residents have access to high-end, hotel-style amenities including a club lounge with dining room, cinema room, fully equipped gym, restorative spa and treatment rooms, as well as a 30-metre infinity pool overlooking Oxford Street.
Residents also have instant access to a member of the 30-strong concierge team at any time of the day or night.
The central location
As its name implies, Centre Point couldn't be more centrally located. In short, it offers all of central London on its doorstep.
Soho has been the hub of London’s art and music scene for generations, while Covent Garden is known for its world-famous West End theatres.
Nearby is Bloomsbury, with its leafy garden squares and academic institutions, and Fitzrovia, which is fast becoming the city’s most exciting food destination.
Centre Pont is also within walking distance from Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, Marylebone, Mayfair and the River Thames.
Covent Garden Market is a mere hop, skip and a jump away – just take the lift first. AP
Even closer to home, the launch of St Giles Square at the foot of the building means some of London’s top restaurants, such as Arcade Food Theatre, are seconds away.
The locale is also home to tech companies, including Google and Facebook. And with Crossrail soon to open, travel links are set to become even better.
Number One, Centre Point is on the market with Almacantar
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
GroupA: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Allianz Arena, Munich Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
