1950s modernism: Apartment in the Stirling & Gowan-designed Langham House Close, Richmond, Surrey
We did feature one of these last month. But this apartment in the Stirling & Gowan-designed Langham House Close, Richmond, Surrey is a slightly different proposition.
The one we featured last time out had been renovated to a very high standards, but a number of original features had been lost in the changeover. This one has been updated, but still has a lot of original details in place.
However, it’s probably worth noting that it might need a little more work to bring it back to its best. Yes, I am looking at that electric fire and perhaps parts of the kitchen too amongst other things. Saying that, it is cheaper than the last one, so there might be room in your budget to do a bit of work.
The architectural appeal is definitely there for both properties and indeed, the building. This dates back to the late 1950s and has Grade II*-listed status, described by the 20th Century Society as a ‘benchmark against which all other apartment blocks can be measured’.
Outside you’ll find some lovely communal gardens, as well as communal hallways with pre-cast shuttered concrete, curved steel handrails and elevated walkways. All selling points, but the apartment is the key one.
Double entrance doors lead into a communal hall with tiled floor, stock brick walls and upper gallery in ‘Beton Brut’ style concrete. There’s a door into an exterior store cupboard and an entrance door into hall, which in turn leads to the lounge.
That space has windows to the common, a tiled floor and that feature fireplace. That accesses the double aspect kitchen and dining area with some original 1950s units still in place, mixing it with some more modern fittings. Beyond that are two bedrooms, both with tiled floors and the bathroom.
As we said, lots of communal outside space too, which is just 100m from the block itself.
There is a maintenance charge of £185 pcm to consider, as well as the asking price of £475,000.
Images and details courtesy of Mervyn Smith. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
