This may be a "Shadows & Light" first -- a blog post by request!
"Are you up for a bit of a mystery?" wrote my college friend E, who has a blog of her own. "I've been watching the Hercule Poirot series from the late '80s, with David Suchet. In the series, the world-famous sleuth lives in a large art deco building called Whitehaven Mansions. It is actually Florin Court, and is in London."
E was curious to see what the building looks like these days, more than 20 years after the Poirot series began filming.
So yesterday I went down to Charterhouse Square, near the Barbican, to take a look. Florin Court is an amazing building, with an undulating facade that includes plate glass windows with both convex and concave curves.
It was designed by Guy Morgan and Partners and built in 1936. According to this site it has about 126 apartments, as well as a basement pool and a roof deck. Needless to say, it's an expensive, desirable address, and a Grade II listed building, which means it's protected.
I didn't see any mustachioed Belgian detectives while I was there, but Charterhouse Square itself was filled with dozens of screaming kids running around.
The area certainly is lively. Apparently earlier this year Florin Court was also the site of at least one sex party!
Wow...What a wonderful example of Art Deco! Glad to know it's still as intriguing as it was on film. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFunky! I would like one of those corner apartments please. Minus the screaming children :)
ReplyDeleteYou've put a smile on my face today. I have always wanted to locate this building and see what it looks like today! Thanks to you and your friend for seeking it out and sharing it with your readers.
ReplyDeleteMost timely because I too am watching the Agatha Christie series while I sweat in my basement gym. I'm amazed that they can make everything look so convincingly old. I never dreamed one could still find the real thing in London!
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