I walked to work on a slightly different route a couple of days ago, down West End Lane, which is a bit curvy and thus probably a slightly longer walk but I had time and was in the mood for something new. I passed this large crescent-shaped apartment building called Sidney Boyd Court, which is architecturally a bit unusual.
It's council housing, built in 1953. Apparently it was built on a World War II bomb site, where seven large houses were destroyed by a Doodlebug on June 20, 1944. Eighteen people died in that bombing. Can you imagine living in a time and place where an enemy rocket could demolish your house and take your life at any moment? Of course plenty of people live with that reality now, but it is blessedly far from my own experience.
Anyway, after the war, what was then known as Hampstead Council (before he borough of Hampstead was consolidated into Camden) erected this building and named it after Sidney Boyd, a local councillor and mayor.
The six-story block has 50 apartments, according to this page, and one Flickr user said that as a child they always thought the balconies looked like bathtubs. Which they do!
Anyway, that's probably more than you wanted to know about Sidney Boyd Court, but I was curious. The only other information I could readily find online were individual apartment valuations, which led me down a real-estate rabbit hole looking at properties all over the area. Which convinced me even more that we would never be able to buy anything in this part of town, should the impulse ever strike us.
Here's the valuation for the flat we rent. If that's accurate, well, let's just say it won't be ours anytime soon. (Also, what's with all that ugly furniture? And look how empty the garden used to be!)
I am just not very motivated this morning. In fact, I'm still in bed, and I have to go to work in less than an hour. I guess I should get up and get moving. Fortunately I don't think Olga will want a walk because it's damp and rainy out there. Yesterday morning it was 52ยบ F as I walked to work. I despair for my sunflowers!
The moment I looked at the photo, I thought, ’Those balconies look like bathtubs!’
ReplyDeleteAnd now, I'm headed down the same rabbit hole.
Where were you in 1997?
ReplyDeleteBathtubs or not, at least there are balconies. It's not a bad looking block really.
If you could afford it, would you buy it? Your flat, I mean.
ReplyDeleteNo that is not more than I wanted to know about Sidney Boyd Court - it is in fact less! The predicted value of your flat makes me think that Ian and Sarah got a good deal when they paid £1.1 million for their terraced house in Fulham even though they do not have a nice garden like yours.
ReplyDeleteThe block of flats featured could have been in Norwich. I could take you to an identical block here. The design must hae been used by many local authorities at that time. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see the results of postwar building here. I've read a lot about plans but this is the first picture I've seen of results.
ReplyDeleteAbout living in bombardment, I don't have to imagine it, I lived it as a small child. We were even bombed living up on the remote Yorkshire moors, windows all blown out.
I kind of like the Bathtub Balconies; it, along with the curve, gives the building some interest.
ReplyDeleteI could buy three of the most expensive house in town for that price!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else- that is not a bad looking building. And it would be easy to tell someone where you lived- "You know, the place with the bathtub balconies."
ReplyDeleteWow. Prices in London are crazy! I suppose they are in all of the huge cities world-wide. And it's not so bad to be a renter. Got a leak? Call the landlord! Of course that's not always a quick fix but at least you aren't paying for it. It seems to me though, that you and Dave have definitely increased the value of your place with your gardening.
Wow! I was surprised at the value of your flat. I'm quite often shocked at real estate prices these days, tho! Who has all this money?
ReplyDeleteI saw a huge field of sunflowers yesterday and wished I could take a video as I drove by, it was so beautiful, but the road was very curvy!
What an interesting building. Those balconies do look like bathtubs. I like it when you take a new route. You find lots of great things to share.
ReplyDeleteReal estate is pretty expensive there. The same is true here in California. It's crazy. Who can afford these places?
ReplyDeleteThose balconies do look like bathtubs. It would be funny to see someone sitting in one with some soap and shampoo.
The balconies don't fit in with the rest of the building.
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy seeing a floor plan for those apartments. I'm guessing the windows to each side of a balcony (which do look like bathtubs!) belong to a unit. Surely you wouldn't have to share a balcony with someone!
ReplyDeleteThere’s flats like these in Hillsborough
ReplyDeleteI think they are listed.
I would gladly send you some of this heat if I could.
ReplyDeletewow, in 6 years it increased in value by over a million pounds. and when did they take those pictures? I didn't realize it's a 2 bedroom flat from the way you talk about the apartment. what do you do with the second bedroom?
I wonder if the units in that apartment building have square or curved corners. It would be interesting to see inside.
ReplyDeletePrices in Britain leave me speechless. And so does the system of land ownership, with such a huge percentage in the hands of a few. It seems like a very outdated, feudalistic system to me.
I meant curved walls, not corners, of course.
ReplyDeleteThose DO look like bathtubs! Ha!
ReplyDeleteThis summer has NOT been my favorite - so many weird and annoying things happened - that I'm almost looking forward to fall. Or I thought I was until I had to run a little heat in my car on the way to work (to unfog the windows). Now I'm already annoyed that it will be cooler. No pleasing me at all!
That seems very cold for this time of year which would make me unmotivated to go outside! It's 80 and sunny right now here. :)
ReplyDeleteWow. The price has gone up 595% since 1997? I can't imagine.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: I definitely see it, now that it's been pointed out!
ReplyDeleteAndrew: I KNOW! Our neighbors down the street once told me they bought their house in the '80s for something like £85,000. Now it's worth more than £3 million!
Caro: We fantasize about that all the time. Dave is less keen to buy it than I am, because it does need some work. Besides, we'd be stuck with the Russians forever!
YP: Yeah, I think £1.1 million for Fulham sounds like a reasonable price.
Rachel: I wouldn't be surprised if councils used a standard design for many buildings around the country!
Boud: I can't even imagine life under those circumstances.
Bob: I agree. Without the "bathtubs" it would be a less interesting facade, though at least it would still have the curve.
Ed: Ha! I know. It's insane.
Ms Moon: The building also benefits from the grounds -- there's a big lawn and lots of greenery. Renting is definitely a trade-off. We get to live somewhere we could never afford otherwise, but we're pouring money away.
Ellen D: That's often my question, too! How can these houses and apartments sell for so much? Who ARE these people?
Sharon: It's always good to vary the route, though I've pretty much run out of new options. :)
Robin: Ha! Our neighbor down the street with the "bathing beauty" in her yard could really do a display at Sidney Boyd Court! (Search for "bathing beauty" on my blog if you don't remember her. :) )
Red: Oh, I think they do. Like Bob said, they break up the facade and make it a little more interesting.
Kelly: Some of those property valuation pages include floor plans, so you can see them. I'm sure the balconies are private.
John: I'm surprised this building's not, but I can't find much info about it online so it appears it isn't.
Ellen: We use one of the "bedrooms" as a dining room, because it's adjacent to the kitchen. The layout of this place is pretty weird!
Jenny-O: Well, not ALL of Britain is that expensive. It's just London. London is insane. Yeah, the complex system of land ownership is another reason we've never bought here. Often you're buying a "leasehold" from some dynastic family, so it's like renting anyway (except you can then re-sell your leasehold)! I imagine those interior walls MUST be curved.
Bug: I've actually enjoyed this summer, even though here it's been cooler and wetter than usual. And it's done my sunflowers no favors!
Margaret: It was unusually cold. Yesterday morning it was in the 60s, which is more like it.
Debby: It's crazy, isn't it?!
Yikes. No, you're best staying a renter! And you're right -- that furniture is a bit sterile (to be kind!) But great light!
ReplyDelete