The apartment that thinks it’s a house

There is something about having an internal staircase in a property that makes it feel more like a proper home. While a house is not an option in many very central areas of London, a duplex offers the perfect combination of contemporary, low-maintenance living, while retaining the feeling of being in a house.

The two upper floors at Hooper’s Yard, part of Berkeley Homes (South East London) Ltd’s City Quarter development in Leman Street, E1, are dedicated to duplex properties.

The eight remaining two and three bedroom duplex penthouses have a much higher than average interior specification and each has two private terraces. These ultra modern properties offer a stylish living spread over two floors, with the living space on the upper level to make the most of the light, while the lower level houses the bedrooms.

The entire upper floor of each duplex is open plan, with floor to ceiling glazing on two sides allowing natural light to flood in, while electric remote control custom-made blinds provide privacy at night. Two terraces lead off from this space, allowing the indoor space to flow seamlessly into the outdoor. This is an ideal space for entertaining and to set the mood, there is a multi room audio system which is powered by an iPod and wiring for wall-hung plasma TVs.

Individually designed contemporary kitchens come complete with the full range of stainless steel Miele appliances including an integrated coffee maker. The highest quality finishes have been carefully sourced, including unusual Yukon leather stone work surfaces and white gloss units.

The entertaining and living space is separated from the private, bedroom space by an open oak staircase. On the lower level, the master suite has its own private balcony along with fitted wardrobes. Bathrooms and shower rooms benefit from electric underfloor heating, double ended baths with Starck fittings and fully tiled walk-in showers.

Roof mounted solar panels contribute to the hot water system, reducing energy consumption and the property’s carbon foot print, and each penthouse has a built in comfort cooling and heating system. Security has been made a priority, with video door entry, CCTV and gated underground parking.

Piers Clanford, Managing Director of Berkeley Homes (South East London) Ltd comments: “In a house there is something psychologically a bit special about going upstairs to bed. Here it is actually a case of going downstairs to bed but the beauty of a duplex is while inside it feels like a house, it is low maintenance and thoughtfully designed for modern, city life. This is a rare opportunity to purchase a very spacious split level home so close to the Square Mile.”

Hooper's Yard is the final release of new build properties at City Quarter, featuring the latest in architectural design by award winning architects Sheppard Robson. City Quarter is the transformation of the historic Goodmans Fields site in London’s Whitechapel, formerly a sugar warehouse, depot and original headquarters of the Co-op.

City Quarter is ideally located within walking distance of the main financial district, making it easy for walking to work. The zone one development is under a 10 minute walk from underground stations at Tower Hill, Aldgate and Aldgate East underground stations and is within a 15 minute walk of Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street and Bank stations. The DLR at Tower Gateway is also close by and offers easy access to Canary Wharf, Docklands and City Airport. Secure underground parking spaces are available and a car club scheme for residents will be operated by Streetcar.

Prices for the duplex penthouses at Hooper’s Yard range from £850,000 to £1.1 million. The Sales and Marketing Suite is open daily: weekdays 10am until 6pm (until 8pm Tuesday) and at weekends 10am - 5pm.

Find out more at Cityquarter.co.uk.