Bevin Court II, London WC1

This gently appointed one-bedroom apartment lies in Bevin Court, designed in 1954 by modernist titan Berthold Lubetkin. The Grade II*-listed building embodies the effervescence of Lubetkin’s architectural vision, articulated best by the cherry-red staircase that winds through its core. It is brilliantly located, within easy walking distance of Islington’s Upper Street, Exmouth Market and Clerkenwell.



The Architect



One of the key pioneers of modernist architecture in Britain, Berthold Lubetkin formed the Tecton Group - shorthand for the Greek architecton (‘master builder’) - in 1932, along with Francis Skinner, Denys Lasdun, Michael Dugdale, Anthony Chitty, Val Harding, Godfrey Samuel, and Lindsay Drake. Tecton enjoyed success over the next few decades and built some of London's most revered modernist buildings, including the Penguin Pool at ZSL, Highpoint in Highgate and the Finsbury Health Centre. For more information, see the History section below.



The Tour



Access to the apartment is via well-maintained communal areas that typify Lubetkin's lively style. Panels of glazing, as well as the remarkable central staircase, guide towards the apartment, located on the building's fourth floor.



Entry is to a hallway, with a deep cupboard on one side. The reception room lies at the rear, behind a part-glazed pinewood door. The space is lit by an original, crittall window that looks out to mature trees. White-painted walls are paired with light-toned floorboards, amplifying the room's bright feel. The current owners have comfortably arranged a dining table at the far end.



Another pinewood door from the hallway opens to the kitchen, where smart white units line opposite walls. On one side is a deep sink carved out of the Blanco Maple Silestone countertop, well-placed beneath an original window and a perfect ledge for potted plants.



The bedroom is a gentle space with the same material palette throughout. It shares the same leafy view as the adjacent living space. Pinewood again appears here, in the form of tall floor-to-ceiling wardrobes.



Next to the entrance, the bathroom has been eexcuted in neutral white tiles and has a shower.



The Area



Bevin Court is an enviably short walk from the eclectic, independent shops and cafes of Upper Street, Amwell Street, and Clerkenwell. In Exmouth Market, there is Moro (and sister restaurant Morito), The Quality Chop House, and The Eagle on Farringdon Road.



Upper Street is a 20-minute walk away and offers a wealth of retail, culinary and design amenities, including Ottolenghi, Gail’s, Le Labo, Aria and twentytwentyone, as well as the Almeida Theatre.



King’s Cross and Coal Drops Yard are a short walk north. The latter is home to a magnificent public square with choreographed fountains and restaurants, including Caravan, Vinoteca, Dishoom, Granger and Co, plus shops A.P.C, COS and Margaret Howell.



Many of London's venerable cultural institutions are accessible on foot, including Sadler's Wells, the Barbican, the British Museum, the Brunswick Centre with the renovated Renoir cinema and the many beautiful garden squares of Bloomsbury.



Transport links are fantastic; Angel and King's Cross are a short walk away and offer Underground, National Rail and Eurostar services.



Tenure: Leasehold / Lease Length: Approx 172 years remaining / Service Charge approx: £4,105 a year / Ground Rent approx: £10 a year / Council Tax Band: C