Friday, January 16, 2009

Lytton Close, Hampstead Garden Suburb

Lytton CloseTucked away in Hampstead Garden Suburb, in north London, is a wonderful little cul-de-sac of white modernist houses.

They date from the mid 1930s are protected with a Grade II heritage listing and at least some of them were designed by architect G G Winbourne.

The design of each house is different but the all have a flat roof offering great views over the surrounding streets. Several have a glass room on their roof.

Lytton Close

Lytton Close

The metal-framed windows are another common feature as can be seen in the above photos. The houses also have a central bay and the walls (and windows) curve into the recessed opening. These bays have a small balcony on the second floor and also at roof level, both with metal railings.

Some of the houses also had (very) small garages and this one (below) has a very stylish front door.

Doorway, Lytton Close

I've found a couple of Lytton Close houses listed for sale on the net and they will only set you back between £1,275,000 and £1,650,000.
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9 comments:

  1. Ryan von RübenSeptember 17, 2009 at 1:09 AM

    Just curious as to why you would classify these buildings as Art Deco, rather than Bauhaus or International Style, given that they have almost no decorative detailing and have more in common with examples of the latter two movements both in aesthetic and construction detailing terms?

    BTW - Fantastic collection of photos, what an amazing way to see so many examples of Art Deco from such disparate sources together!

    RvR, London

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  2. David ThompsonSeptember 17, 2009 at 5:16 AM

    Hi RvR,

    Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.

    To answer your question, I subscribe to the broardest possible definition of Art Deco for a couple of reasons. Firstly it lets me include lots of different types of buildings that I like. Secondly, since I am not an Architect or an Architectural Historian I don't necessarily know the nuances that separate the different styles of the buildings in the 20th Century so by lumping them all under Art Deco I hope to stay out of any arguments about what makes this Streamline and that International Style etc etc.

    Cheers,
    David

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  3. Melvyn SimonsonFebruary 1, 2010 at 6:26 AM

    Greetings
    My parents brought no.15 in 1948 and it was sold 1977. My parents were refugees from Berlin in 1938 so may have been familiar with Bauhaus but I recall them saying the rooms were large and could accommodate their German 30's large furniture.
    Note that No.15 should have been 13 but first owner was superstitious and as we were the end house. ( Incidentally I have lived in 4 more closes in 57 of my 65 yrs I gravitate to them for their quite and live now as I did at the end of the close !) I have had lifelong interest in Art Deco - If you are ever in S.France go to Chateau de Gourdon and enjoy
    http://www.chateau-gourdon.com/html/artdeco.htm

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    1. UnknownJune 20, 2012 at 1:07 PM

      Hi Melvyn,

      I'm very familiar with Lytton Close. My parents' house, 47 Linden Lea, was right opposite the cul-de-sac. I even vaguely remember you. I suppose in a way the Lytton Close homes are in the Bauhaus style (having seen other homes in that style). But like you I'm not an architect and wouldn't know for sure. I now live in Los Angeles.

      Thanks for the little trip down memory lane. Hampstead Garden Suburb has bitter-sweet memories for me.

      Irene (née Lash)

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  4. David ThompsonFebruary 1, 2010 at 10:19 AM

    Thanks Melvyn for the link to the Chateau de Gourdon (another destination added to the list) and the little peek into your life at No 15 and the story of the change of number. I think your parents mut have had an interest in the 'modern' style and passed it onto you.
    Regards,
    David

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2012 at 1:15 PM

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  6. David ThompsonJanuary 18, 2012 at 1:34 PM

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  7. London Art Deco SocietyApril 12, 2012 at 11:37 PM

    These are beautiful and a perfect example of how Art Deco transformed in its later period. Thank you David. This blog has been shared with the London Art Deco Society on facebook. 

We also enjoyed the peep through the keyhole to No. 15. Thank you for sharing your story with us Melvyn!



    London Art Deco Society
    http://www.londonartdecosociety.co.uk

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    1. David ThompsonApril 13, 2012 at 8:39 AM

      Thank You LADS. Good to see a society dedicated specifically to London Art Deco.

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