This project folder has a selection of mostly social housing residential high-rises around London that I have not posted already in other folders such as my absolute favourites the Barbican and Trellick & Balfron Towers. Other great examples are also to be found in the Bethnal Green folder. This folder is not to be an exhaustive catalogue of all London high-rise blocks but a selection of ones that I personally like or find of interest. Most are multiples but some are unique individuals and some have also been repeated on more than one estate around London. I will be constantly adding examples to this section so its an ongoing project. I am only posting buildings of 10 floors or more at present and generally not posting buildings that have been heavily altered with for example, with cladding or new pitched roofs etc. Pretty much all examples have had their windows replaced with white plastic UPVC ones this is of course unsurprising as windows need replacing over time, the disappointing thing though is that they are very often replaced in different and often more subdivided configurations of chunky plastic frames which spoils the original design intent of the buildings and restricts the fantastic views that is the big advantage of high-rise living.

First up, The St George Estate in Shadwell East London. Features three tower blocks, Stockholm House, 18 floors. Hatton House, 23 floors & Shearsmith House a whopping 28 floors! Only 3 floors lower than Trellick tower. That does not sound high by todays standards of private residential blocks being built in London but it certainly was at the time. Nicely detailed Exposed concrete construction with brick infill. Interesting unique to the blocks small penthouse apartments up on the concrete parapets with tiny windows punctured through. Each one has a roof terrace that sits behind the parapet which also has an outdoor window punctured through it. Would love to see inside one of them! The blocks were completed by 1972 by the Greater London Council Architects Department. This design has been used elsewhere in London such as The Tustin Estate off the Old Kent Rd ,(sadly now swathed in cladding) however the St George towers are looking better maintained than others and still thankfully retain an unpainted concrete finish and exposed brick. They also have a pleasant landscaped park area below.

The Tustin Estate off the Old Kent Rd, between Camberwell and Peckham. By the LCC Architects dept 1964-69. After 65 by the GLC dept of architecture & civic design....Dominant feature being three 19 storey tower blocks at angles to each other. Interesting, unique to the blocks small penthouse apartments up behind the concrete parapets. Each one has a roof terrace that sits behind the parapet which also has an outdoor window punctured through it. Would love to see inside one of them! This photo was taken in late 2018 but since then Southwark Council have implemented plans to completely re-clad them and thy are now almost unrecognisable. The same model (with slight differences) of tower is also on the St George Estate in Shadwell, East London. There however the concrete has been left exposed which looks much nicer contrasting with the brick. see photos above of these ones.

The Somerset Estate, 1962-65, Sunbury Lane, Battersea .By Colin Lucas & Philip Bottomley of the LCC Architects dept. It's close to the Thames behind the Montevetro flats by Richard Rogers. Always liked these distinctively modeled highrise blocks which can be seen on four estates across London, in particular the Wyndham Estate in Camberwell which has a whopping 5 blocks! There are two on this estate, 21 storeys high, concrete construction with brick infill and comprised of 2 bed flats within the projecting sections and 1 beds on the recessed sections. This has caused an oddity with the construction as the 2 bed flats have a structural column that goes through the middle of the living room. This is remedied by knocking out the kitchen wall and making the space open plan. The balcony space is too shallow to use but the sliding windows behind allow the balustrade to act like a modern linear Juliette Balcony. There are smaller flats set back between the projecting clusters of three floors, sadly the deign was too mean to give these flats a big balcony on the projecting rooftop ledge of the flat below! The Estate is also comprised of nice 4 storey maisonette blocks well arranged in communal grounds. The concrete has been painted Cream by the council, not entirely sure if it was originally exposed concrete or not…

The Westbury Estate Battersea on the Wandsworth Rd. More examples of this design by Colin Lucas & Philip Bottomley of the LCC Architects dept. This estate also has two 21 storey towers. Here the nasty new UPVC windows have rendered the balustrade obsolete due to the way they have been configured. Gone are the 3 nice big sliding ones that opened up the balustrade to the living room when open, like a giant “Julliette style” balcony, which was such a nice detail especially given that the “balcony” is not actually useable space. The lower 4 storey maisonette blocks here have been ruined with blue painted render covering up the concrete and brick. These low blocks are however scheduled for demolition as part of a regeneration project. The towers are to remain. Green space between blocks is ok but featureless.

The Canada Estate, Rotherhithe has another two of these tower blocks, Columbia and Regina Point. These are the only ones that have used red brick for the infill walls. Sadly again the replacement UPVC windows don't allow the balustrade to work as a “Juliette style” balustrade/balcony any more.. By Colin Lucas & Philip Bottomley of the LCC Architects dept. Planned 1960-61. Built 1964. Again 4 storey maisonette blocks are arranged around the towers in grassed and pedestrian spaces.

The Wyndham & Comber Estates Camberwell. this estate has a visually powerful array of 5 of these towers design by Colin Lucas & Philip Bottomley of the LCC Architects dept. They are rather tatty, giving the impression of being poorly maintained and the landscaping between the blocks is rather poor, just bleak paved terraces over the car parks with no features other than precast concrete boxes forming skylights to the car park. The replacement white UPVC glazing with twice as many subdivisions than previously to the windows behind the balustrades is disappointing. Its my least favourite of the four estates using this design but the quantity of these distinctive blocks has a real presence! Built 1965-1967

The Cotton Gardens estate, South London distinctive articulated Tower blocks in Kennington by the excellent Architect, George Finch of Lambeth Architect’s Department. 1966-8. Three towers on this estate at dynamic angles to each other making them appear to be in dancing with each other. In situ concrete structure with prefabricated concrete panels externally using the Wates System to get effect, Panels have pebble aggregate finish that gives warmth and texture. I have lived in these 2 bed maisonettes (Arden House in Stockwell) and they are generous space wise and have lots of built in storage, fantastic views from the generous glazing. Nice open tread pine staircases to each flat. 1 bed Penthouse flats are very impressive. Double height living room with open mezzanine bedroom overlooking the living room and accessed up an open tread staircase to the side wall of the living room.. These flats exclusively have a roof terrace rather then a balcony. Internal Corridors are generous in size and mostly naturally illuminated. There are another 5 of these towers in the area, 3 at Grantham Road, Stockwell. These ones have been ruined with magnolia and yellow paint (now looking filthy) to all of the concrete as has another single block behind Stockwell Tube station, Edrich House on Binfield Rd. Holland Rise at South Island Place between Stockwell & Oval tube has thankfully like Cotton Gardens avoided being painted.

The complex and highly individual Lambeth Towers opposite the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth. By the very talented George Finch of Lambeth Architects’s Department under Ted Hollamby. Designed 1964-65, completed 1971. Stacked maisonettes up to 10 floor’s above a two storey podium. Cranked sections in plan arranged around service risers that visually act like fractured hinges, highly animated facades. I got inside for the first time….It’s a labyrinthine experience inside, sections of internal centralised corridors at angles to each other leading to semi open bin landings and various sections of staircases, some being short sections of spiral ones only serving a few floors. There appears to be only one lift which must cause issues…The layout is further confused by the multiple addition of new fire doors as the building is not up to todays fire strategy standards….I met Harry who was watering his spider plant sitting on the bin chute hopper! (See second photo) He very kindly invited me in to look at his maisonette which was in the smaller annex which itself is accessed from another staircase from the main block. His flat was an upside down, interlocking L section type with two beds and the bathroom at entrance level and a huge dual aspect living room with separate kitchen over, very spacious, the likes of which we rarely see today! The block has an active Tenant management organisation.

The Brandon Estate behind Kennington Park South London. By Edward Hollamby for the London County Council. Completed 1960. 5 seventeen storey blocks in generous open green space. Some friends had one of these flats so Have been inside. Well laid out 2 bedroom flats (4 to each floor) the balcony connects the main bedroom and living room across the second bedroom giving the user external circulation space allowing a circular route throughout the flat, which feels great in Summer. Sadly all the lovely original windows and doors were replaced with the standard chunky white UPVC some time ago. Very interesting bed sitter penthouses which are perched on the roof like pitched roof portacabins surrounded by private terraces. Not been in one of these but would like to! The estate also boasts it own Henry Moore sculpture and is Grade II listed.

Portland St, Walworth SE17. Four 14 storey tower blocks clad in red brick and with nicely detailed balconies, except for an odd blue painted steel bracket on the sides which looks like an structural add on....By Southwark London Borough Council, completed 1966.

Always noticed this block while passing through Hackney on the train. It’s 1-80 Wayman Court a 17 storey highrise that sits on the North edge of London Fields. It’s actually been sensitively renovated for a change! New windows look good and loving the yellow panels which actually replace the original ones which were pale blue, for me that’s actually an improvement! Yellow always looks so good with brick or concrete, especially the original two brick colours on this block. Very nicely detailed balconies and lovely abstract 3D concrete block walls at ground level. All very nice! The Wayman Court Estate by Co-operative Planning for Hackney Borough Council.

This is a follow up visit in Feb 2020 to the Brentford Towers Estate, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, London. I previously visited in late 2018. At the time they were preparing for renovations which are now compete I’m happy to say that the painting of the blocks is definitely a success the colours and finish looks great. I rarely think that painting concrete is a good thing but it’s worked here. There is a pathway/raised walkway that goes from East to West throughout the Estate connecting all six 24 story towers. It passes under most of the towers at Mezzanine/ first floor level where there was a lift lobby, these have been sealed off some time ago and you now have to enter from somewhat less successful ground floor entrances through the car parks and garages. If you visit you should definitely walk this route to appreciate the original design intent. The towers have Minimal monumental presence due to the sheer quantity, height and identical design. The landscaping could do with a lot more attention and more trees. I spoke to some residents in one of the towers lifts and they were liking the area and the flats, also positive about the renovations. Designed by Max Lock and partners. 1968-78.

The Brutalist Brick Castles of The Worlds End Estate, Chelsea. Brick, Brick and more Brick, the supplier must have made a mint! The brick was intended to invest the scheme with a greater humanity, no doubt a reaction to what had become unpopular concrete. Personally I think some concrete detailing would be good to break up all that red brick but you have to admire the conviction of using one material to a whole Estate especially one so large, it features 7 high rise blocks! Construction beneath is reinforced in situ concrete. Scheme designed by Eric Lyons & Jim Cadbury Brown. Lyons is best known for his low rise housing for the developer SPAN, and this was his largest project. Approved in 1966, built in the early 1970s.

Dawson's Heights, East Dulwich. Designed by Kate Macintosh. Constructed 1968-1972. Built on a hilltop. Two blocks with staggered plans, varied heights and heavily modelled brick facades. big communal garden space between the blocks. Best viewed from a distance as brickwork is not great and there is a lack of detailing but overall look is impressive. Higher flats must have great views! Well worth a visit, get off at North Dulwich station, walk up through Dulwich village and then back down again and visit the lovely grade 2 listed Dulwich Park and then the Dulwich Picture Gallery

The Avondale Square Estate. A well looked after Corporation of London Estate off the Old Kent Road in Southwark. Three 20 storey tower blocks (East, Centre & West Point ) are the main features of the estate. The estate Has generous and well maintained garden/park areas. The blocks are nicely detailed with yellow brick and semi curtain wall style facades. Various other lower blocks of 11 storeys and lower make up the estate. By Sir Lancelot Keay, Basil G Duckett & Partners. Completed 1962

St Mary's Towers. On the train to Abbey Wood to see Thamesmead I noticed these blocks from Woolwich Dockyard Station. They are on Frances and Samuel St. Clearly expressed concrete construction with brick infill and dark grey cast concrete panels under the bedroom windows. Built for Woolwich Metropolitan Council, approved in 1959. 4 completed by 62 (each 14 floors) and formally opened by HRH Princess Margaret! How times have changed, back then Social housing was important and optimistic enough to attract Royalty! While looking suspicious waiting around one of the blocks entrance doors to get in I was let in by a pensioner who had lived there since they were built. She offered to show me her flat, so I said am I safe and she replied, don't worry luv I'm not gonna rape ya! 😂. It's always good to meet people who have lived in places since they were first built.. Nice spacious two bed, (by today's mean standards) with an odd almost triangular kitchen. The blocks profiles are interesting because the flats are in vertical columns at angles with each other. In plan they remind me a bit of Lasduns East End cluster blocks but without the gaps between. A 5th block was built a bit later. Contractor Wates, Architect Norman Dawbarn. Thank god they have not been re-clad!

The Ledbury Estate, off the Old Kent Road, Peckham. By the GLC Architects & Civic Design dept. 1968-70. The estate is built using the same panel system used for the ill fated 22 storey Ronan Point which partially collapsed in 1968 after a gas explosion killing 4 people. It’s a Danish panel system, Larsen-Nielsen system, also used at the now demolished Aintree Estate, Fulham which has almost identical H blocks and the now fully demolished Morris Walk estate Woolwich.. This really is a tough one! On the brutality meter the needle is swinging far to the right! The Estate comprises of 4 tower blocks with various low rise maisonette blocks and pensioners flats. Space between the blocks is poorly designed and maintained. Space between 3 of the towers that are grouped is little more than the rooftop of a closed off garage area. It's clad in paving slabs in a diagonal pattern with curious sculptural triangular skylights have been capped off.

The Finsbury Estate, Finsbury, London. By Emberton, Franck & Tardrew for Islington Council 1965. Franck worked for Tecton, has some similar elements but not as interesting as a Tecton Estate. Four main blocks including the pictured 25 storey Michael Cliffe House, there is another matching block on the estate as well. Painted concrete frames and ribbed balustrades. Concrete aggregate and grey mosaic panels. Shame the mosaic had not been in a colour like yellow as it all looks a bit flat. A colour would have contrasted nicely with the concrete. The council need to give this place some TLC, around the entrance areas. All very shabby and intimidating. Horrible grubby prison like doors, no doubt all in the name of crime but the environment makes you feel like a criminal coming in and out of the building! Could be designed so much better. Spaces in between the blocks are a bit hit and miss

Haymans Point & Coverley Point, Vauxhall Gardens Estate. One of two identical towers mostly made up of single aspect 2 bed maisonettes entered each side off internal centralised corridors. There’s also a column of standard smaller flats at one end. Original windows replaced with white UPVC ones in a fussier configuration compared to the much simpler original ones. Original cladding, glazed panels & balustrades remain. Designed by Jan Farber & Bartholomew for the GLC within the London Borough of Lambeth. 1965-69. There’s a few examples of this type of block around London with minor variation. One example being the Hawkstone Estate, Rotherhithe.

The De Beauvoir Estate, De Beauvoir Town/Haggerston. This large sprawling estate catches your eye because of the 5 tower blocks scattered throughout creating an interesting skyline. The blocks are in dark brown brick and painted concrete, it’s likely the concrete was originally in an exposed finish. The elevations are sporting pleasingly animated layouts. Around the base are lower rise linear blocks of flats and maisonettes and some terraced two storey houses. The disappointing aspect of the estate is the in between spaces which look to have not been well considered when the estate was designed, all very arid with pointless and bleak paved rooftop spaces to car parks, random patches of what at the moment sun scorched grass and very few trees and virtually no planting…Not to say that this could not be improved if there was the will and the cash! Designed by Burley Associates for Hackney Borough Council. Designed from 1963, completed 1975.

339-428 Fellows Court, St Mary’s Estate E2. Close to Columbia Rd. The block is raised up on rather nice triangulated exposed aggregate Pilotis. The lower 4 floors are clad differently with concrete panels and contain flats whereas the floors above are composed of maisonettes which have a fairly complex interlocking configuration. As in The Unite the maisonettes are entered from internal central corridors on every third floor. The flats are entered into the single aspect living room & kitchen and then the dual aspect bedrooms are either up or down from here. One has been for sale on The Modern House so check out plans and photos there. The upper facades have been eroded design wise by the removal of the original frosted glass balustrades with chunky timber handrails and replacement with nasty perforated sheet steel ones…all original windows replaced. The narrow balconies to the upper floors are really fire escape routes as there are no dividers between units, never a great option if you want full privacy and a properly working balcony….By J L Sherrat who was Borough Engineer, Surveyor & Architect for the then Shoreditch Metropolitan Borough Council (then from 65 Hackney Borough) 1963-66.

Always noticed these blocks from a distance when on the train from Richmond to Waterloo, so decided to take a closer look. There are three of them on The Lennox Estate at Roehampton, Wandsworth, South West London. Designed for the Greater London Council by Golins, Melvin, Ward & Partners.1972. Like the minimalist simplicity of these blocks. Concrete construction with brick infill. Essentially they are composed of four separately articulated varied height skinny towers that connect to the highest monumental all concrete central services/circulation tower. Also makes sense from a residents point of view as each flat is isolated from adjacent neighbours so reduces risk of noise. Shame they don't have some nice cast concrete balconies though…

The Rennie Estate, Bermondsey SE16. Trevithick & Landmann house. Always noticed it’s point blocks from the train and thought them interesting. Rather smart,with two colours of brick and nice projecting white painted concrete frames that vertically enclose the balconies and main windows to each flat. Nice railings and mosaic clad columns around the base. Usual nasty chunky white plastic window frames replace the originals and balcony balustrades altered with horrid perforated painted (now peeling & rusting) sheet steel. The estates lower blocks have suffered from being swathed in rendered (already crumbling) insulation painted a nondescript cold pale grey! 😔 designed by H. V. Ashley & Winton Newman for the then Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey 1962-8, despite their date they have a 1950’s “festival” look to me…(completed for Southwark)

Pope House on the Manor Estate, Bermondsey SE16. A rather smart block in red and yellow brick, nice variation of window arrangements and projecting ribbed balustrades to the balconies. Most original windows replaced except to the staircases. The estate built 1956-62. For the then Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey

Lakanal House…The Sceaux Gardens/Sceaux Estste, Camberwell SE5. By Camberwell Borough Architects Dept, headed by F.O.Hayes. Approved 1957. The blocks of varied heights are arranged in generous communal grounds. All the windows & panels have been changed but in mostly the original configurations and look to be slimmer aluminium ones rather than the usual ugly chunky white plastic ones. The panels used to be in olive green with doors to the balconies in bright yellow which certainly looked nicer and more animated than the current two shades of green but still not looking too bad….Lakanal house sadly suffered a fire in July 2009 which resulted in the death of 6 people. The inadequate provision of only one escape staircase for such a large building proving to be a fatal design flaw as this single escape stair filled with smoke! But also sadly as at Grenfell, inflammable cladding played its part!

Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith, Fulham Palace Rd, London W6. I just love these three beautiful high rise blocks, Golding, Parsons and Cliff houses that were built for hospital staff and students. Amazingly they have not been re-clad and retain their original metal framed windows with lovely sliding sash sections. The elevations are very pleasingly laid out. Walking around this area it’s like stepping back in time as there are hardly any alterations. Around the base of the blocks it’s very car dominated but it is a workplace after all.. The whole hospital complex which was relocated from Charing Cross was designed by Ralph Tubbs who had previously worked for Erno Goldfinger and was involved in the design of 2 Willow Rd in Hampstead, Goldfinger’s house. The hospital was constructed from 1969-73 and inaugurated by the Queen on the 22nd of May 1973, one of numerous modernist buildings she had officially opened throughout her reign, how many will King Charles inaugurate I wonder…🤔

The Clem Attlee Estate, off Lillie Rd, Fulham. Main points of interest are two Y shaped in plan maisonette blocks, Jim Griffiths & Tom Williams House. Basically a hybrid version of the standard dual aspect maisonette slab block which you see quite a few variations of around london. Vertical circulation at the centre with large lobbies feeding onto narrow external decks to the entrance sides of the three wings of maisonettes. If this had been a block by Lubetkin there would have been a grand staircase at the centre but here it’s a standard one off to one side so rather disappointing. All windows replaced and the patterned brick is also new probably done at the same time. Idiosyncratic little pointed sections of roof sticking out from the tank room on the roof, basically superfluous expressionist decoration which I’m a bit uneasy with but it certainly gives the blocks a point of difference which is memorable. There was a local Library under Jim Griffiths House which has some very nice patterned brickwork and classic signage etched in stone..There used to be 3 blocks but one was demolished for some completely forgettable low rise brick banality. By J Pritchard Lovell for the then Metropolitan Borough of Fulham, 1955.

Crystal Palace Park SE19. The lodge, a small high rise to house athletes. Interesting because it's entirely clad in timber, presumably because of its location in the park, like a prehistoric stump hiding in plain sight….Built along with The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace Park. Opened in 1964. Designed by the London County Council Architects under Sir Leslie Martin in 1953-54. Grade II listed.

The Grange Estate, Ealing, London. This is The Cedars one of a pair of twinned 10 Storey blocks, the other is The Grange. In plan they are composed of two L shape blocks shifted from each other with vertical circulation between them. Lovely expressive concrete entrance porticos. New windows but look to be in the original configurations. Some of the brick to this block along with rendered areas has been painted pale grey but looks nice. The rest of the estate is made up of various types of houses set in a beautiful and generous landscape with an ornamental lake. Built by the developer Wates 1965 and designed by their chief Architect Kenneth William Bland. It’s within a conservation area. Similar houses are to be found on The Ham Riverside Lands/Wates Estate in Richmond

The Towers, a conjoined 11 storey block, Lower Mortlake Rd, Richmond/North Sheen. Always noticed this block when on the train from Richmond. Built as a private block it’s in excellent time capsule condition with no nasty modifications. Great aluminium skinny framed sliding windows, pale brick & a very nice reception area that has a glazing system with Teak mullions and internal walls of glass mosaic. The 2 bed flats are well laid out, spacious and bright and have woodblock floors