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Isokon, Lawn Road Flats, Renovation

Avanti Architects, London, 2004

 

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Isokon street facade 

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  • Isokon street facade    
  • External staircase    
  • View of terraced housing from flat balcony    
  • Entrance balcony    
  • Looking down from fourth floor    
  • Isokon lit at night    
  • Billie Jay, keeping the small two-room unit as one living space    
  • Liveable today, if not how Mr and Mrs Gropius (resident 1934-7) might have furnished it    
  • Architectural historian Annie Atkins occupies the flat that gave refuge to the Gropiuses    
  • Kitchen    
  • Site plan    
  • Ground floor plan    
  • First second and third floor plans    
  • Forth floor plan    
  • Roof plan    
  • North elevation    
  • South elevation    
  • East elevation    
  • West elevation    
  • Lawn Road Flats were considered a new face in English architecture    
  • External view    
  • Isokon work site    
  • View of interior decay    
  • Exterior view    
  • Isokon on-site work    
  • Building construction on-site    
  • Decay in a Lawn Road Flats    
  • Interior construction    
  • Evidence of exterior decay    

Conservation, renovation and regeneration of a Grade I listed Modernist landmark (by Wells Coates, completed 1934) that had in recent years fallen into an acute state of disrepair

The scope of works comprised comprehensive rehabilitation of the reinforced-concrete envelope and restoration of the original facade colour (a pale pink); replacement of asphalt membranes; major upgrade of insulation values; renewal of wall, ceiling and floor finishes and windows and doors; and refurbishment of light metalwork elements and fitted joinery wherever possible, and replacement to match original where not.

While the original plan layout of the units has been retained throughout, minute dimensional adjustments have been made to accommodate new requirements, such as fridges and washing machines. Mechanical and electrical services have been completely reengineered to comply with current standards, but in such a way as to be consistently disciplined by architectural conservation constraints – likewise the integration of new communication, signage and security installations.

The scheme now provides 25 flats under shared ownership exclusively for key workers, with 11 further flats being sold on the open market.

Data

  • Begun: May 2003
  • Completed: Dec 2004
  • Floor area: 1,365m2
  • Sector: Residential
  • Total cost: £2.5M
  • Tender date: Apr 2003
  • Procurement: JCT Standard Form Of Building Contract Private Without Quantities 1998
  • Address: Lawn Road, Belsize Park, London, NW3 2XR, United Kingdom

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