'Seminal post-war housing estate' in Paddington is listed by Heritage Minister John Penrose
The Hallfield Estate in London, designed by Berthold Lubetkin and Tecton, awarded Grade II listed status by Heritage Minister John Penrose.
The Hallfield Estate in London, designed by Berthold Lubetkin and Tecton, has been awarded Grade II listed status by Heritage Minister John Penrose, following expert advice from English Heritage. The estate was designed in 1947 and inspired by Le Corbusier’s ‘Radiant City’ vision which aimed to combine mass housing and accessible open space.
Covering a 17 acre site in Paddington, the Hallfield estate comprises 14 blocks and a laundry, as well as an already-listed school. Some of the 20th century’s most significant architects designed the estate (Lubetkin and Tecton’s design work was supervised by Lindsay Drake and Denys Lasdun), with the result now dubbed by English Heritage as a ‘seminal post-war housing estate.’
John Penrose said:
“These blocks show real flair and beauty, and all the more so considering the post-war era in which they were conceived. Sixty years on, they have become a distinctive part of the London landscape, still looking good and remaining popular with residents and visitors alike.
‘Listing does not mean the estate must now stand unchanged for all time, but it does mean that any future redevelopment plans will have to take the estate’s heritage value into account before final decisions are taken. This seems right and reasonable to me.”
Hannah Parham, English Heritage Designation Advisor said:
“English Heritage is delighted that the Minister has endorsed our recommendation to list London’s Hallfield Estate at Grade ll. The estate presents a convincing riposte to criticism that post-war council housing is grey, drab and utilitarian. At Hallfield, the exteriors of each block are treated like works of abstract art, some are patterned with a chequerboard of blue and red brickwork; others have a zigzagging screen of white concrete panels. The estate now exists amongst an elite group of 16 listed post war housing estates estate in London, estates that are successful as places to live and are cared for by their residents. Listing recognises special architectural and historic interest; it does not preclude appropriate change or adaptation.”
Notes to editors
- A copy of the expert advice from English Heritage, which includes a detailed description of the estate together with a note on its history, is available from the DCMS press office tel: 020 7211 6276 / 6271.
- Pickering House, located in the centre of the estate, constructed in 1960, is not of special interest and is not included in the listing.
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