Grade II* listed modernist development at the side of Ham Common.
The first mature work of Sir James Stirling, now commemorated by the Stirling Prize for Architecture, in conjunction with James Gowan. A mixture of brutalist style after Le Corbusier and the De Stjly movement , mixed in with vernacular elements. Formed in the former long but narrow garden of a Georgian House on the Common, the development offers 30 apartments in 1, 2 and 3 bedroom configurations, some with balconies. Their distinctive layout around a central stack and fireplace in stock brick has made them a sought after purchase for buyers particularly interested in twentienth century style. A grade II* listed development of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments to the side of Ham Common in the former long narrow garden of a Georgian house facing the Common.
The flats are already listed Grade II* but there are moves by the Twentieth Century Society and the Environment Trust to upgrade to Grade 1 status. The buildings are the first mature work of Stirling and Gowan who went into partnership in 1955. Shortly after completing Langham House Close, they began work on the Engineering Building at the University of Leicester, a project that made them internationally famous in their field. Langham House Close shows the influences of Le Corbusier and the Dutch De Stijl movement in a style often called “brutalist”, using raw concrete and exposed brick. To contemporary eyes though, this is definitely not a soulless shell. It has ironic touches harking back to other eras with the central chimney stack with its corbels and squints and exterior elements of the building look like modern day gargoyles. The brickwork now looks mellow, the hallways now seem almost ecclesiastical and the choice setting by the Common makes a very welcoming atmosphere. Sir James Stirling is now commemorated by the Stirling Prize for Architecture. Mervyn Smith have managed most of the properties that have been for sale in Langham House close in recent years. If you would like to register your interest in the next one that becomes available, please contact us.
