The Sneaky Magpie

Ernö Goldfinger, the creator of one of London’s most iconic buildings – The Trellick Tower. A very self-confident, controversial and prolific urban modernist. And yes, the James Bond villain was called after him, this was Ian Felming’s payback for building a modernist terraced house in Hampstead. Ernö didn’t have it easy. But he did a lot for London and I really appreciate his buildings.

He was a follower of structural rationalism, creator of simple and functional spaces that worked.

Balfron Tower

Inside Balfron Tower

He designed few tower blocks like the Balfron Tower in Poplar where he actually lived and worked on improvements for his next structure. Tenants were invited for champagne and a chat about the building with Ernö and his wife, Ursula. Whatever he learned from his experience at Balfron he implemented in his next building – the Trellick Tower in North Kensington.

Trellick Tower

Ernö with kids at Trellick Tower

Trellick Tower was one of the most sophisticated tower blocks in the 60s London, it had its own nursery, doctors’ surgery, shops and Goldfinger himself had his practice there for some time. There is a great story by JG Ballard called High-Rise which is inspired by the building.

The Elephant & Castle development was another hated creation – soulless, scary and dangerous.

Elephant and Castle development

I find those buildings very interesting, light and elegant but I can understand how people hated them back then.

Ernö built his family house in Hampstead at Willow Road, now in hands of National Trust.

1-3 Willow Road

The moment I saw it I fell in love, it would be my dream to live there. He designed most of the furniture himself too as well as children toys. I have written about my visit here.

2 Willow Road

2 Willow Road

2 Willow Road

2 Willow Road

2 Willow Road

The house is very warm and almost feels familiar, there are even shelves of condiments in the kitchen (Ursula was the heiress of the Crosse and Blackwell fortune). As the Goldfingers had many friends in the art crowd there are few amazing works of art in the house.

Goldfinger was a very important post war architect, not afraid of criticism and facing tough challenges.

Ernö’s other buildings include Daily Workers HQ in Farringdon, Carr & Co offices in Birmingham, a number of shops, office buildings and schools.

Looking at post war buildings around London you can very often spot Ernö’s influence: large windows, low spaces, clean lines and easy access.

Further to my previous post about 2 Willow Road house here are some postcards as sadly, photography is not allowed inside.

Goldfinger’s studio.

View from the living room onto the garden. Surprisingly the garden was very classical, far from the modernist style.

Dining area with Roland Penrose painting at the back. The kitchen is tucked away at the back and it is tiny. There are some old jars with condiments in the cupboards, mostly Crosse & Blackwell – Goldfinger’s wife Urusla was an heiress to the fortune.

This weekend was gorgeous, we decided to spend it in Hampstead. After a brief walk on the heath we went to see the Ernö Goldfinger family home in no 2 Willow Road. The house is a part of the National Trust and every Saturday it opens to visitors. You start with a video introduction to the architect’s life and the history of the house followed by a trip round the house.

2 Willow Road

The house, built in 1939, is stunning in its simplicity, colors and materials used. Nearly everything is left as it used to be when the Goldfingers lived there up to Ernö’s death in 1987. The Goldfingers were part of the London and Paris art scene and were proud owners of a lot of amazing works of art by Henry Moore, Roland Penrose, Bridget Riley and many others. The rooms are very minimal and practical, furniture is simple, all the chairs, beds and sofa’s are surprisingly low to the ground – Ernö was a very tall man.

We pondered through the house for a bit, we then went to Gail’s for a lovely sponge cake with lavender and a cup of tea.

Afterward, all inspired by British modernism, we walk to Lawn Road to see the Lawn Road Flats (Isokon Building) designed by Wells Coates. After taking a few snaps my other half was chased away by an aggressive inhabitant of that building. How rude!

Lawn Road Flats

Before leaving Hampstead I couldn’t resist popping into Beetroot Deli – a Polish specialist, to stock up on dumplings. Yum.