Britannia Wharf, Baldwin Terrace, Angel, London, N1

Guide Price: £1,375,000 to £1,425,000

Set on the banks of the Regent’s Canal, Britannia Wharf occupies the former site of a candle factory and has been comprehensively reworked by Paolo Cossu Architects. Arranged across four split levels, the house is defined by a series of connected spaces, where changes in volume, carefully placed glazing and a sculptural staircase draw light deep into the plan.

The industrial origins of the building remain an important part of its character. Large factory-style windows are balanced by more contemporary interventions, while a restrained material palette of timber, marble and lacquered joinery brings warmth and consistency throughout. The result feels considered rather than overly polished, allowing the architecture, light and canal-side setting to do much of the work.

At ground-floor level, the main living room is centred around a dramatic full-height arched window, framing uninterrupted south-facing views across the water. Larch floorboards continue through the house, helping to tie the different levels together, while a shower room and discreetly concealed utility space sit alongside the principal living area.

A timber staircase rises to the first floor, where the kitchen and dining spaces are arranged across subtly differing levels. The kitchen, designed by Cossu, combines marble worktops with bespoke cabinetry and integrated appliances, with a built-in window seat creating a quieter corner beside the stair. Beyond, the dining area feels distinct yet connected, its elevated position giving the room a greater sense of openness across the floor.

The second floor is currently arranged as an additional reception room, though its proportions allow it to work equally well as a third bedroom or study. Doors open directly onto a private roof terrace overlooking the canal, with long views east towards Hoxton and west across the historic industrial buildings of Wenlock Basin.

The lower-ground floor contains the principal bedroom, a second bedroom and a generous family bathroom with a walk-in shower. Here, as throughout the rest of the house, the detailing remains understated and consistent.

What makes the house particularly successful is the way Cossu’s interventions work with the building rather than against it. The original industrial character has been retained, but softened through materiality, natural light and a more domestic rhythm of spaces, creating a home that feels both architecturally distinctive and entirely comfortable to live in.
Upper Street provides a wider mix of independent shops and restaurants, running north from Angel towards Highbury & Islington, while Camden Passage remains particularly good for antiques, smaller boutiques and weekend browsing. The Almeida Theatre is also nearby, and Victoria Miro sits just across the canal, with Broadway Market and the galleries of the East End easily reached by following the towpath east.

Britannia Wharf sits between Angel and Hoxton, with an excellent mix of independent shops, restaurants and neighbourhood pubs within easy reach. Pophams is close by on Prebend Street, while Portis Pizza on Rheidol Terrace is another much-loved local addition. The Duke of Cambridge is also nearby, one of the area’s best-known pubs and particularly loved for its organic, farm-to-table approach, with a menu shaped by seasonal British produce. The Narrowboat is within walking distance too, a relaxed canalside pub known for its fish and chips and waterside setting, while The Earl of Essex offers another excellent local option.

The canal itself is one of the great advantages of the location, offering a quieter route through this part of London and connecting the house with De Beauvoir, Haggerston and Victoria Park in one direction, and Angel and King’s Cross in the other.

Transport connections are excellent. Angel provides Northern line services, while numerous bus routes run along City Road and through Islington. King’s Cross St Pancras is also within easy reach for national rail services and Eurostar connections.