1950s Erno Goldfinger modern apartment in London NW1
Looking for somewhere ridiculously cool to live? This 1950s Erno Goldfinger modern apartment in London NW1 might fit the bill.
After all, imagine being able to drop into conversation that you live in a Goldfinger house. Granted, it isn’t the amazing Teesdale House, but very little on the market is right now. But you get the name, the postcode, and a very stylish/understated apartment too.
It’s also grade II-listed, one of Goldfinger’s first post-war works, built between 1954-56 and described by the agent as ‘the first stage of his progression from the restrained modern classicism of his Willow Road terrace towards the tougher, exposed grid, which was to go on to dominate his later iconic works.’
And despite coming up to its 70th birthday, this Regent’s Park Road still looks surprisingly contemporary. Well-proportioned, minimal, but with enough character to catch the eye.
What’s on offer here is a third-floor apartment complete with a south-facing balcony and with access to a communal garden. The building contrasts the apartment itself, with an early brutalist feel about it with its mix of brick and concrete. Personally, I love it and its contrast to the other buildings on the road.
Once inside, it’s a slightly different story. At least once you are in the apartment. The foyer area is largely untouched. A central door opens to a communal lobby paved with quarry tiles, and beyond that, a cantilevered staircase with open treads and steel balustrades reminiscent of those in Goldfinger’s now-demolished Player House in Surrey. Ten mailboxes are lined in two rows, one for each of the ten flats arranged over four floors.
As I said, the one for sale is on the third floor, a light and bright apartment that has benefitted from an expert refurbishment courtesy of the current architect owner.
Updated without taking away the dominant features. This one has an understated charm of an apartment where everything has been carefully thought through. It isn’t all original, but it is very much in keeping with what you would expect.
Note the black and white resin floors, the original mahogany joinery still present in the bedroom wardrobes (included in the listing), and a kitchen that’s new but matched up with the original joinery.
The dividing door between the reception room and dining area also still pivots to separate the two spaces or close off the kitchen. An idea you don’t see used as much today (perhaps because space is often at a premium) but quite common in mid-20th century interior design.
The space is relatively open, with the hub of the apartment being the reception area that opens onto the external balcony. Just off that is the minimal but eye-catching kitchen (not easy to pull off).
A hallway takes in the bathroom area, with three bedrooms at the opposite end of the apartment, overlooking the gardens.
Note also that the In the basement of the building has a communal room containing a shared studio space, laundry room, and individual two-by-two metre storage rooms, one for each flat. Which is all rather considered and helps keep things nice and tidy.
In terms of the outside space, the balcony is to hand and behind the apartment building is a large communal garden, described as ‘beautifully planted’ and ‘encircled by impressive mature trees’. So a nice place to unwind during the warmer months.
Of course, in light of the architecture and postcode, this is never going to be cheap. If you want to live here, the asking price is £1,100,000, with a service charge of approximately £1,500 per annum to consider too.
Images and details courtesy of The Modern House. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
