Balfron Tower

Balfron Tower is a residential building in Poplar, London, standing 84 meters high over 26 floors. The main block connects to a separate service tower through walkways that carry technical facilities for the building.

Ernő Goldfinger designed the tower for the London County Council housing programme and completed it in 1967. Heritage authorities later recognized the building and placed it on the national list of protected structures.

The name references Lord Balfour and points to Scottish roots, while the exposed concrete surfaces reflect the style of the sixties. Residents use shared spaces in the service tower, reached by open walkways that give the building's daily life a particular pattern.

Lifts stop at every third floor, so some residents walk stairs for the last stretch. No tours run inside because all flats remain private homes, but the architecture stands clear from street level.

The architect himself moved into a flat on the thirteenth floor and lived there for two months to understand tenants' experiences directly. His observations shaped the design of a similar tower he later built in west London.

Location: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Inception: 1967

Architects: Ernő Goldfinger

Architectural style: brutalist architecture

Floors above the ground: 26

Height: 84 m

Website: http://balfrontower.org

GPS coordinates: 51.51360,-0.00881

Latest update: December 12, 2025 18:19