Corsica Street, London N5

This exceptional three-bedroom apartment lies in a converted industrial building on Corsica Street, a quiet no-through road running parallel to Highbury Fields. Reimagined with striking clarity by Paxton Locher architects in 1988, the building is a lesson in minimal simplicity, defined by soaring ceilings, expansive windows and an emphasis on steel and glass. The sprawling green spaces of Highbury Fields, Clissold Park and Finsbury Park are all nearby, as are the delights of Highbury Barn, Upper Street and Newington Green.

The Architect

The late Richard Paxton studied architecture at Kingston University and went on to work in the offices of Ahrends, Burton and Koralek, where he was involved in the design of the Cummins Diesel Factory in Scotland and the Sainsbury’s supermarket in Canterbury. In 1985 he combined forces with Heidi Locher, who had previously worked with Terence Conran, when the two established their own practice together.

Paxton Locher have been responsible for the design of the Soho Theatre and the Jerwood Space in Southwark, but perhaps their most significant contribution to architecture has been the imaginative domestic projects they have undertaken both for themselves and for distinguished clients, including Douglas Adams and Griff Rhys Jones.

In an article in Grand Designs magazine, Kevin McCloud wrote of Paxton’s work “…above all else, what impresses me is how Richard understood the idea of enclosure. For him walls didn’t exist to support the roof but to provide shelter and comfort. He knew how to articulate the shapes in a building to make you feel relaxed, nurtured and protected. He understood that great Corbusian truth, that the business of architecture is to create relationships: with a building, with people and with the world at large.”

The Tour

The front door of this apartment is located behind a set of electrically operated shutter gates. The door opens to an entrance hallway with a pared back scheme of white-washed walls and coir matting. There is plenty of space for hanging coats and kicking off shoes, as well as a long bench seat that runs the length of the space.

The hallway leads to an open-plan kitchen/dining/living room. Engineered wood floors run underfoot, and walls, exposed steels and aluminium window frames are finished in fresh white. Light floods a double-height as it filters through a clerestory of industrial-scale windows. On one side of the volume there is a kitchen composed of understated white cabinetry, a four-ring induction hob, integrated oven (both by Miele) and a ceramic sink. A central kitchen island makes for a social atmosphere when hosting a dinner party.

On the other side of the room is plenty of space for a dining area as well as soft seating area. The light that floods in is arresting and is amplified further by the crisp, predominantly white scheme. There is a smart WC adjacent to this space.

From the kitchen, a glass and steel spiral staircase leads to a mezzanine that would lends itself as a library or a study. A second staircase ascends from the hallway to the first-floor landing, flanked by two double bedrooms.

Natural light is drawn through long windows in each bedroom that overlooks the double-height room beyond. There are excellent built-in wardrobes and en suites connected to both bedrooms are selected in porcelain tiles and marble sinks. One is fitted with a large walk-in, rain-style shower, and the other a bath with a shower overhead.

A third bedroom with an en suite shower room is located on the ground floor.

The Area

Corsica Street sits just behind Highbury Fields, which contain tennis courts, a playground and a swimming pool within Highbury Leisure Centre. Highbury Barn approximately 10 minutes’ walk away, with its wonderful butcher Godfrey’s, Bourne’s Fishmongers, Da Mario deli and the excellent original branch of La Fromagerie.

Upper Street is only a short walk away. It has a wealth of retail, culinary and design amenities, including Ottolenghi, Gail’s, Le Creuset, Space NK and twentytwentyone, as well as a host of national and independent retailers and restaurants. There are excellent pubs in the area, notably The Myddleton Arms and The Canonbury Tavern.

A short walk from the apartment is the New River, a tranquil man-made waterway with mature trees that provides a lovely spot for walks or for sitting with a book.

There are excellent transport links in the area. Highbury and Islington is also nearby with Overground (Mildmay and Windrush lines) and Underground services (Victoria line).

Tenure: Share of Freehold / Lease Length: 964 / Service Charge: approx. £2,245 per annum / Council Tax Band: G