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DETAIL

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.

Apartment House in London
© Nicholas Kane, GB–Surrey

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.

Architecture
Avanti Architects
Location
Lawn Road, NW3 London (GB)

Gallery

Summary

Issue
11/2006 Eco-Refurbishment
Author
-
Source
DETAIL
Location
United Kingdom, London
Year of construction
1934
Year of completion
2004
Architecture
Avanti Architects

Participants & manufacturers

Architecture
Avanti Architects
Building services engineering
Max Fordham LLP.

Categories

Magazine
Eco-Refurbishment
Facade
Concrete
Load bearing structure
Reinforced concrete

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