Kensal House, Modernist apartment complex in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, United Kingdom.
Kensal House is a residential complex with two curved apartment blocks containing 68 flats for tenants located at the northern end of Ladbroke Grove in Kensal Green. The structure follows modern design principles with open floor plans and shared spaces that serve the everyday needs of residents.
The building was designed by Maxwell Fry in 1937 and marked a turning point as the first modernist apartment block built for working-class residents in Britain. It demonstrated how contemporary design principles could be applied to affordable housing on a meaningful scale.
The complex was designed from the start to bring people together, with spaces built specifically for neighbors to meet and interact. Common areas like the shared kitchen and recreation rooms created gathering places where residents naturally spent time with one another.
The site is easily accessible by public transport and the surrounding area invites walking and exploring the neighborhood. The curved blocks are visible from multiple angles and create interesting perspectives as you move around the grounds.
The complex pioneered the use of gas for heating, cooking, and hot water rather than electricity, making it an efficient and economical solution when it opened. This technical choice turned it into a living experiment in how modern housing could function.
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