Apartment House in London

The Isokon Flats, completed in 1934 by Wells Coates, were conceived as a social and architectural experiment, aiming to make a modern, urban way of life possible. The initiators (the clients) lived in the penthouse, and had a predilection for occupants who were artists or writers; among them were Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, ­Lázló Maholy-Nagy and Agatha Christie. The building was later sold and resold, and deteriorated, due to lack of maintenance, to the point that it was no longer inhabitable. It is now a registered site, and the architects aimed to regain the building’s original appearance, and, at the same time, to bring the building up to today’s standards. The roof and wall assemblies were renewed, and measures were taken to renovate the concrete. Windows and doors, as well as most interior surfaces, were replaced. The partition walls have been equipped with new acoustic cladding; in addition, the ceiling soffits were fitted with mineral-wool insulation and acoustic panels. Over the course of time, windows of inferior quality had been substituted for the single-glazed steel windows; new double-glazed windows closely attuned to the original colour and proportions pay homage to their predecessors. The kitchens, bathrooms and dressing rooms have been restored, and remain – though today’s equipment and standards have been integrated – close to the original designs. And Walter Gropius’s apartment was authentically restored.