If you like the idea of sitting in front of a big screen with like-minded souls watching a movie about modernist architecture, you probably want to grab some free tickets to see Tom Cordell’s Utopia London (2010).

The screening, which will be introduced by Tom Cordell himself, is a feature length documentary exploring London’s recent architectural history. The film observes the method and practise of the Modernist architects who rebuilt London after World War Two. It shows how they revolutionised life in the city in the wake of destruction from war and the poor living conditions inherited from the Industrial Revolution.

Utopia London travels through the recent history of the city where the film maker, Tom Cordell grew up. He finds the architects who designed it and reunites them with the buildings they created.

More on the movie/documentary here, with the free tickets available here. The screening (courtesy of the Manchester Modernist Society) takes place at Manchester Art Gallery on 20th June 2013.

Oh yes, trailer below…

I imagine this is one of those houses you’ll love or hate. But there’s no denying that this 1980s Headland House modernist five-bedroom house in Piddinghoe, Newhaven, East Sussex is an interesting build.

It actually dates back to around 1989, although the interior has the look of a much older house. According to the agent, the (nameless) architect who designed it was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, with a build taking advantage of its chalk cliff side location, offering views over the nearby Ouse river and village, across the valley to the Downs and Seaford Head.

The house was built with mellow brick and flint elevations, with treated timber and leadwork to the Balcony areas, all beneath a tiled roof. You’ll find five double bedrooms inside, along with three bathrooms, a modern fitted kitchen and large open plan split level reception rooms with full width windows and views across the valley.

Outside, you get those views of course, along with a heated swimming pool, double garage and paddock, which has been turned into a par 3 golf/putting course. Additional parking is provided via a rear driveway.

Some of the finishes might not be to everyone’s taste, but there is definitely a wow factor here. The price is £850,000.

Find out more at the Zoopla website

Another house that leaves us California dreaming, although the price of this three-bedroom midcentury modern property in Los Angeles, California, USA looks to have jumped up considerably since it was last on the market.

But regardless of the price, this is a lovely place to virtually browse. It was built back in 1953, described ‘post and beam’ build, covering around 1,440 sq. ft. of space. It has had some updating over the years, but the character of the place still shines through. The structure and frame are intact and the location, with views of the city, canyon and ocean, is something special.

As for space, this place is down as a three bedroom, two bathroom place, with a predominantly open plan layout for the living space, that area enhanced by walls of glass and vaulted wood ceilings. You’ll also find a recent kitchen, balconies to take in those amazing views and a studio with bathroom, which is attached to the garage.

The agent says it needs ‘TLC’, but we don’t think it needs a great deal, judging by those images. Just as well, as the asking price is $999,000. That’s a big jump on the last sale – it was last sold in 1994 for $385,000. That’s house price rises for you.

Find out more at the Redfin website

Via Curbed LA

Perhaps not the kind of house you would associate with the town, but this 1960s architect-designed four-bedroom property in Bolton, Lancashire has a lot going for it.

For a start (as I know, due to local knowledge), it’s in the good part of town, backing onto a large golf course. Sadly, most of the other distinctive architect designs on this road have been knocked down and replaced with fairly nondescript modern builds. This is being marketed in the same way, so you hope someone else sees the merits of the current design.

That design is an interesting period build with straight lies and a slanted flat roof, with large windows on the rear to show off the extensive gardens. This is quite a sizeable plot, hence the desirability as housebuilding land.

Inside, things haven’t changed a lot, which is a good thing. See past the carpets and dark wood furniture and you’ll find a shell unchanged in decades. Some new decor and sharp interior design would transform this place.

Space-wise, you are looking at four bedrooms, a spacious family lounge with separate dining room, fitted kitchen / breakfast room with utility room, an additional sitting room, cloakroom w/c and a family bathroom. Gardens re to three sides, with a large sweeping driveway and an attached garage making up the outside space.

It’s on the market for £475,000. If we had the money, we would put an offer in ourselves.

Find out more at the Reed Rains website

It’s the only FLW house in this state and what’s more, the 1950s Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dudley Spencer House in Wilmington, Delaware, USA is on the market.

The 1956 Dudley Spencer House, also known as Laurel, is on the market for the very first time. A quick glance at the shots on the listing suggest some updating might be required, but it also shows a Frank Lloyd Wright design packed with original features. That’s the important thing here.

It’s hard to judge the overall design by the shots, but the agent describes it as having a ‘beautiful curvilinear form’, which creates open living space and views from every room.

A central eat-in kitchen serves as ‘the hub of Wrights built-in furniture designs’, which he also incorporated into every room to provide ample seating, living and storage space. That’s a huge plus. Talking of rooms, you’ll find three bedrooms and two bathrooms here, as well as that eat-in kitchen, a living room, dining room. family room, utility and laundry.

Lots of space outside too, over six acres apparently, predominately woods, but with a creek, sculpture garden paths, terraces and patio, all of which blends with the inside space. That’s what good design is all about.

If you fancy a move to Delaware, you’ll need $1,350,000, which is around £878,000. More images below.

Find out more at the Realtor website

Thanks once again to Daniela Rincklake van Endert, whi spotted that this 1960s Richard Neutra-designed modernist property in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany is currently for sale.

This house dates back to 1967, which makes it over 45 years old. The fact that it looks like a contemporary masterpiece tells you everything you need to know about the architect and this design.

Inside, we’re talking 380 sq. metres of space – and open space too. Throw in extensive and we’re looking at a light and spacious environment, with rooms flowing effortlessly into each other. Oh yes, there’s also a natural stone guest house and a pool house (eight pool, naturally) if that space still isn’t enough for you, with a plot of around 25,000 sq. metres to play with too.

In terms of specifics, the house has had some recent work to the bathrooms, heating and insulation, but overall, is in fairly original condition. The house is laid out over two floors, with luxury to the fore. That includes everything from an au pair room and ‘gentlemen’s room’ through to feature fireplaces and balconies, not to mention your own private wood outside. We don’t know how many rooms are here in total, but we suspect you’ll have more than enough.

More detail on the listing (if you speak German) and if you want it, €2,400,000 is the asking price. More images below.

Find out more at the Immobilien Scout 24 website

Seems to be a good time to find British midcentury gems for sale, which now includes this wonderful 1950s Fello Atkinson and Brenda Walker-designed grade II-listed midcentury modern property in Leicester, Leicestershire, which is known as the Goddard House, due to it being built for the Goddard Family.

In the ‘sought-after’ Stoneygate area of Leicester, the house is described by the agent as ‘one of Britain’s finest post-war architect-designed homes’. When you see it, you’ll see why. English Heritage has seen this Bauhaus-inspired build, giving the place grade II listing not long after for its design and original condition. The house actually dates from 1954, a single-storey property designed by Fello Atkinson and Brenda Walker of James Cubitt & Partners, a noted London-based architectural firm for the Goddards. Incidentally, the sale family is now selling it.

We love the full-length windows, as well as the Westmorland slate hearth and mantelpiece, welsh slate window sills and the wide use of hardwoods, which includes African mahuhu, pearwood, rosewood and mahogany. High-end finishes, that’s for sure. We can’t imagine many houses in the 1950s had underfloor heating either, which is located throughout the house.

As for the layout, across that single storey you’ll find five bedrooms. plus a large living room area, connecting through to the kitchen. There’s also a bathroom, a study, builder room and as you might have noticed from the snaps, a wonderful separate garden studio, which you’ll find in the quarter of an acre of garden.

If all of that appeals, the price is £515,000. More images below.

Find out more at the Modern House website

Huge thanks to Antti Eerikäinen for spotting this gem, which is a 1950s Eduard Ludwig-designed modernist property in Berlin, Germany.

It looks to have an interesting history too. The house is perhaps earlier than you might imagine, dating back to 1958 and designed by a student of Mies van der Rohe as part of an architectural competition. The architect sadly died not long after in a plane crash, so it’s certainly a case of what might have been.

Prefabricated insulated concrete walls, night storage heating, linoleum floors and large expanses of glass were key features, but the passing of time apparently took away much of what was great about this place, However, last year, the entire house was completely renovated ‘at great expense’ and with one eye on that heritage. The result is what you see here, something pretty special and worthy of a house in a ‘protected’ area that also hosts designs from the likes of Walter Gropius and Arne Jacobsen.

You can see the finishes in the images here, but you’ll probably want to know the room breakdown, which is listed as two bedrooms and a single bathroom, buy with a decent amount of unlisted open living space too over the 154 sq. metres.

That refit obviously wasn’t cheap, which means the house isn’t either.€1,540,000 is the price of the place.

Find out more at the Immobilien Scout 24 website

We featured a similar one to this some time back which had been renovated back to its original 1968 glory. This Eric Lyons-designed three-bedroom Span House in New Ash Green, Longfield, Kent isn’t that – but it’s available for much less.

The Span house is something people tend to love or hate, but many do love this affordable take on modernism and if you want a foot in the door, this is one to check out. Some original features are here (exterior, windows, doors etc), but inside, it’s very much typical family home.

But that’s just decor and as you can see from that previous example, some work can make this into a wonderful midcentury modern living space.

Talking of space, this place has an entrance hall with tiled flooring, a downstairs cloakroom, a dual-aspect lounge with full-height windows and patio door to rear and a kitchen/diner on the ground floor.

Upstairs is the first bedroom with dual-aspect, vaulted ceiling and feature brick wall, two further bedrooms and a bathroom. Gardens outsider, with a garage in a separate block and like all Span living, communal space too.

If you want it, the asking price is £185,000.

Find out more at the Zoopla website

I think I’m more excited than I should be about this place because of its location. Yes, a modernist gem ‘up north’, specifically the Peter Aldington-designed 1960s grade II-listed modernist property in Bessacarr, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Renowned architect Peter Aldington built this for a close friend in 1967. Some gift it was too. It’s still an impressive and notable structure today, with the four-bedroom property picking up grade II listing by English Heritage in recognition of its design.

Much of that has been preserved too. Those full-length windows, open space, wood panelled ceilings and fitted furniture are all a joy to behold. It might be a little austere for some outside. But certainly not for us.

Accommodation in this single-storey build includes those four bedrooms, along with an open plan reception room / dining room, kitchen and large conservatory (the latter being designed by Aldington and added at a later date). Two of the bedrooms look out onto an external courtyard, with much of the interior designed to integrate both the inside and outside spaces.

All of that at the end of a a long drive, which leads to a car port. To the side, you’ll also find a paved terrace area and to the rear a wide garden, largely lawn, connects to school playing fields beyond.

This is the first time the house has been offered for sale, only adding to the appeal. If it has appeal to you, the price is £325,000.

Find out more at the Modern House website