A Victorian Tower, Reimagined for Contemporary Living.


Summary:
Rising quietly from the leafy streets of Camberwell, St Giles Tower is a rare survivor, and exceptional example of London's civic Victorian architecture. Originally completed in 1890 as a circular infirmary ward for the Camberwell Workhouse, the tower was conceived as a statement that care, dignity, and architectural quality mattered, and was a moral imperative, even in public institutions.

Now converted into a collection of eighteen unique apartments, the Grade II listed tower offers homes shaped by its unusual form. Large original windows, generous ceiling heights and historic motifs define the experience throughout, while the circular plan ensures that no two apartments are alike. Despite its proximity to central London, the setting remains calm, green and steeped in history. A landmark within the local streets, the building has a quiet, self-assured presence in the neighbourhood, offering a strong sense of place.


The History:
St Giles Tower was completed in 1890 as a new ward within the wider Camberwell Workhouse Infirmary.

Designed in accordance with late nineteenth-century Victorian principles, each floor of the tower originally accommodated twenty-four beds arranged around a central services core, ensuring that light and fresh air reached every patient. Large windows and generous proportions expressed the civic pride of the period, reflecting the importance placed on well-ordered and handsome public buildings.

The tower remained in medical use for almost a century and survived direct damage from a V-1 flying bomb during the Second World War. When the hospital closed in the early 1980s, much of the surrounding site was demolished and redeveloped. The tower itself was spared in recognition of its architectural quality and was subsequently listed before being converted to residential use.

The conversion has preserved the defining elements of the original structure. The circular form, original window openings and generous ceiling heights continue to shape the internal layouts, resulting in a collection of eighteen apartments that feel distinct from conventional residential buildings.

Rather than imposing uniformity, the apartments allows the idiosyncrasies of the original building to remain visible, with curved walls, shifting perspectives and outward facing rooms defining the experience throughout.


The Design:
Occupying an elevated position within the tower, the apartment unfolds over two floors, with the entrance on the upper living level and the bedroom suite below. Ceilings rise to approximately 3.5 metres, and large original casement windows wrap both levels, drawing daylight through the curved plan from morning to evening.

The apartment has recently been renovated under the direction of interior designer Leo Wood (Kinder Design), to support a more contemporary lifestyle while remaining sympathetic to the building's history and distinct character. With an approach grounded in clarity and restraint, the intention was for the architecture itself to remain the dominant presence.

The upper floor is arranged as a single, open living space, where the views take immediate precedence on arrival. From here, the city is experienced in the round, with uninterrupted panoramas extending across London to the Shard, St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. The changing skyline provides a constant backdrop, observed from within the calm and privacy of the interior.

Below, the transition to the bedroom level introduces a more contained and private atmosphere, naturally suited to rest. Taken together, the two floors form a home that feels inseparable from the building that contains it, shaped by its structure and scale, with light, height and outlook continuing to define how the space is lived in.


The Local Area:
Camberwell has established itself as one of south London's most significant cultural and culinary enclaves. Defined by its deep-rooted creative community and Georgian architecture, the area is anchored by institutions such as the Camberwell College of Arts and the South London Gallery. A short walk reveals a constellation of independent landmarks: the award-winning Camberwell Arms, Theo's Pizzeria, and the legendary Silk Road sit alongside the artisanal draw of Toad Bakery and Mondo Sando. It is a setting that rewards local life with high-calibre, independent hospitality.

Green space is remarkably abundant. The 140-acre expanse of Burgess Park offers a lake, tennis courts, and running tracks to the north, while the rolling lawns of Ruskin Park provide elevated city views to the south. Locally, the intimate and residential Brunswick Park affords a low-density, leafy character rarely found in such a central Zone 2 location.

Connectivity is comprehensive. Denmark Hill station provides direct rail and Overground services to Victoria (12 minutes) and Blackfriars (14 minutes), while local cycle routes reach the West End in approximately 20 minutes. Uniquely for the area, this ease of transit is bolstered by the property's private off-road parking space, a rare premium that offers a level of autonomy seldom found in such a central setting. It is a location that perfectly balances neighbourhood intimacy with seamless, multi-modal access to the wider capital.