WowHaus

A statement design, this 1970s Michael Manser midcentury modern house in Finchampstead, Berkshire is now up for sale.

Midcentury modern or modernist? Take your pick. It works under both tags. the bottom line here is that it’s a relatively untouched piece of period architecture and from a notable modernist architect.

Michael Manser is no stranger to these pages, but I haven’t featured one of his designs for some time. They don’t come up often. But in the past, I have covered this one in Haslemere, Surrey, a 1960s design in Wokingham, Berkshire, an absolute stunner in Broad Oak, East Sussex, another 1960s house in Ashtead, Surrey and my favourite back in 2012, a fascinating renovation project in South Cheam, Surrey.

Of course, those previous find have similarities to this 1975 build and in particular, to Manser’s most significant design, Armstrong House in Surrey.

Like that one, the house has a ‘u-shape’ design, with the main living areas facing onto an internal courtyard with raised planting and 1970s decorative paving.

There is no getting away from the Mies van der Rohe influence here, with the floor-to-ceiling glazing, framed in industrial steel, being a key feature of this property, taking away the boundaries between the inside and outside space.

The integrity of the design has been maintained by the current owners, who have been in this house for over 30 years. But don’t expect a time capsule of the original era.

First impressions might hint at that and plenty of original details are still in place, including the wood ceilings, the beams, the doorway, the original glass doors and the odd fixture and fitting.

But this is a house that is lived on and is particularly well maintained and updated, right down to the (very) modern kitchen area. That’s not a criticism – not everyone wants to live in a museum – more of an observation.

In terms of space, there is around 2,166 sq. ft. of that inside, with a ‘large secluded courtyard’ at the front of the house offering some privacy from the road.

Enter through that wonderful doorway and to the left you will find two bathrooms and four bedrooms, described as ‘fantastically light’ by the agent, presumably on account of all that glazing. Two of those bedrooms open directly onto the courtyard, accessed by glazed sliding doors.

To the right of the hallway is the modern kitchen, along with a separate utility room across from it.

At the opposite end of the house is the impressive open-plan dining and living room, with original glass doors, panelled ceiling and brick fireplace dividing the two space. Thanks to the full-height, glazed bi-fold doors on either side of the room, there is even more of that natural light here and the doors give access to the internal courtyard and the landscaped garden at the rear of the house.

That’s not quite all as a double-fronted workshop (or possibly a storeroom) is in a ‘secluded position’ at the end of the garden and a separate garage with ‘extensive’ storage and space to park two vehicles is also part of the house.

The images speak for themselves and if they convince you that this is the house of your dreams, the asking price is £950,000.

Images and details courtesy of The Modern House. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.