Heritage meets Gigabit at Dolphin Square
Overview
Dolphin Square is a landmark estate of 1,234 Grade II-listed homes in London’s Pimlico, renowned for hosting royalty, ministers and cultural icons. In early 2024, Glide was selected to deliver Phase 1 of a comprehensive refurbishment, restoring the estate’s 1930s splendour while overhauling resident services to today’s digital standards. The project was scoped and mobilised within six weeks, executed on schedule and on budget, and completed without a single disruption to resident move-ins.
The challenge
The client required gigabit-ready Wi-Fi and enterprise-grade resilience from day one, backed by proactive 24/7 support; all cabling and active equipment had to be fully concealed to preserve the estate’s historic fabric. Planning permissions and liaison with conservation officers added complexity, and daily operations in 13 separate buildings could not be interrupted.
Glide's solution
After an in-depth on-site survey, we deployed a 10 Gbit/s fibre backbone with Smart Fibre Infrastructure feeding three bandwidth tiers up to 1 Gbit/s. All cabling was routed through existing voids and bespoke enclosures, ensuring zero impact on heritage features. Residents connect instantly on move-in, while estate staff provision and upgrade services via Glide’s portal, eliminating engineer call-outs and accelerating turnaround.
Results so far
Phase 1 is live across the main block, earning Dolphin Square WiredScore Platinum status. Occupiers now enjoy ultra-fast, reliable internet from day one; on-site teams manage every aspect of service delivery; and the upgrade has been delivered with zero visible impact on the estate’s character. Stakeholder satisfaction surveys report a 98% approval rating for performance and aesthetic preservation.
“The support we had from Glide for corporate housing, to ensure that they delivered a safe and secure solution, was second to none. They understood our needs and delivered exactly what was required, on time and to a high standard."
Aidan Bambridge, Mobilisation Manager, Dolphin Square
”Glide’s managed service approach has been transformative. Their proactive support, technical knowledge and reliable infrastructure meant we could retain the character of the estate while delivering flexible, plug-and-play connectivity to our residents."
Roshan Ramlugun, Sector Lead – Residential, AXA Investment Managers
With meticulous planning, heritage-sensitive engineering and a fully managed service, Dolphin Square is now set to blend historic prestige with best-in-class digital living for decades to come.
Images © Paul K Porter. Used with permission.