Lucille House, London SE26

This two-bedroom apartment lies on the first floor of Lucille House, part of Sir Frederick Gibberd's modernist Park Court development. Conscious of its 1930s origins, the current owners have sensitively renovated the apartment, subtly adding a series of clever contemporary interventions. Long views across the communal gardens reach the periphery of the south-east corner of Crystal Palace Park, a two-minute walk away, while Penge West station sits a seven-minute walk from the apartment and runs Windrush line services into central London.



The Architect



Frederick Gibberd (1908-84) was one of Britain’s most influential modernist architects, revered for his contributions to social housing in Britain as well as town-planning in the post-war era. Gibberd was perhaps most celebrated for his planning and design of the new town of Harlow, in Essex, which is widely recognised today as one of the most successful schemes of its kind.



The Building



Completed in 1937, Park Court comprises 54 flats grouped in nine three-storey blocks. Gibberd originally designed the buildings with flat roofs, however in the 1980s, mansards were added to make a fourth storey. In typical Gibberd style, the flats were designed with a careful consideration of social needs – each flat is built with patented double-layered flooring to minimise noise transmission between dwellings; and access paths all lead to the rear of the buildings to aid residents privacy from tradespeople or visitors.



The Tour



Entry is on the first floor, illuminated by the original 1930s gridded glazing and characteristic turquoise trims in the communal stairwell. Arrival at the front door gives way to a useful porch and an open-plan living space beyond.



The latter is grounded by well-maintained original floorboards and large double-glazed picture windows that revealing views across the gardens. The removal of an internal wall and reconfiguration of the kitchen has successfully created a sociable flow of space throughout whilst still retaining carefully allocated areas with a sense of privacy. It capitalises on the south-west facing aspect, which allows light to reach all corners of the living area.



The living room - with its open fireplace - leads into a light-filled dining area perfect for year-round hosting. A galley kitchen culminates with a long view to the north. Timber worktops soften white cabinetry with an electric integrated oven and induction hob atop and a neat alcove shelf for extra storage.



Through the central hallway, which is punctuated with an original column, lies two bedrooms (one currently used as a workspace) with plenty of deep storage available in the original built-in wardrobes. A newly renovated bathroom is an expert curation of white and terracotta porcelain tiles met with oak finishes. It includes a shower over the bath and heated towel rail.



Outdoor Space



The communal landscaped grounds, amounting to just over a hectare, are well-maintained and planted with a Japanese weeping cherry and a pine tree. A private, off-street car park is also available on the grounds.



The Area



From its leafy position, Sydenham has both suburban remove and south-east London verve. The area developed as an affluent Victorian neighbourhood and has been the home of Crystal Palace FC since 1854. It has long been celebrated for its green aspect, with 19th-century painter Camille Pissarro depicting the approach to Fox Hill Church in his piece ‘The Avenue, Sydenham’.



Crystal Palace Park with its extensive grounds and Victorian eccentricities presents a diverse range of pursuits including a boating lake, Victorian dinosaur trail, Brown & Green Café and Community Space, city farm, playground, weekly Sunday farmer’s market, Motorcycle driving school, fishing lake and sports grounds.



It is home to the Crystal Palace Bowl – an open-air music venue built in 1961 – where musical giants such as Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Elton John, The Beach Boys, Eric Clapton, Lou Reed have performed. The park is also the historical site of the infamous Crystal Palace (built 1854) until its destruction by fire in 1936.



Penge High Street is around the corner with treasures such as Heart of Penge Coffee, Craft Metropolis and the Bridge House pub with its beer garden and Sunday Roast menu, as well as other local amenities. Crystal Palace, which was named in Lonely Planet’s “Greatest little-known neighbourhoods in the world”, is a vibrant area nearby with award-winning restaurants and bars as well as a thriving art and music scene.



Harris Primary Academy, Forest Hill School and Harris City Academy Crystal Palace are all relatively close by.



The apartment is a seven-minute walk to Penge West station, where fast links on the Windrush line leading to Highbury and Islington via Whitechapel. Sydenham station is just over half a mile away and runs services to London Victoria in 15 minutes as well as to Blackfriars in 18 minutes. Overground trains from Forest Hill or Sydenham run to Canada Water in 20 minutes.



Tenure: Share of Freehold

Lease Length: Approx. 976 years remaining

Service Charge: Approx £2,460 per annum

Council Tax Band: C