City Mod: the best flats for sale in 1930s Modernist blocks in London
The 1930s saw a proliferation in the number of apartment blocks built in the capital, with many conforming to newly-imported Modernist principles to offer functional, easy-to-live-in homes for a new urban population. Here, we run down our favourite flats for sale in 1930s Modernist blocks.
Paramount Court, University Street, London WC1
This recently refurbished Art Deco building was designed in the 1930s by Frank Verity & Sam Beverly on University Street in Fitzrovia. The current owners of this one-bedroom apartment have reconfigured the original layout to create a space suited to modern living, with shelving systems, ample storage space and built-in wardrobes.
Ruskin Park House I, Champion Hill, London SE5
This Modernist development in Camberwell was designed by Alexander Stuart Gray and William Watkins, who came up with three blocks arranged in beautifully-maintained formal gardens. The Art Deco style of their work has not been diluted by later additions thanks to original features like Crittal windows being retained.
This one-bedroom apartment is on the fourth floor and has a private balcony with spectacular views across London’s skyline.
Ruskin Park House II, Champion Hill, London SE5
Also in Ruskin Park House is this two-bedroom apartment with a balcony recessed into the plan, offering privacy and space for flowers and plants. The balcony stretches along the living room, kitchen, bathroom and second bedroom, feeding in natural light and establishing a connection between internal and external space.
Wellesley Court, Maida Vale, London W9
This split-level two-bedroom apartment crowns the top of Wellesley Court, a Modernist development designed by architect Frank Scarlett and completed in 1938. The double-height living space is a thing of beauty, as are design flourishes like a sculptural spiral staircase and full-height windows.
Dehavilland Studios, Theydon Road, London E5
While not strictly in a Modernist block, this two-bedroom apartment is a worthy inclusion for the sensitive restoration of the 1930s aviation warehouse it’s to be found in. The building was originally designed by Sir Owen Williams, who deployed his signature use of concrete to form the voluminous structure.
The apartment is arranged around an expansive open-plan living area and incorporates many loft-style living hallmarks such as steel-frame factory windows, raw concrete pillars and exceptionally high ceilings.
Explore our collection of Art Deco homes for more
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