#housing — Modernist Delights

Patrick Coman House, Finsbury Estate, Clerkenwell, London, 2025

A shot of a 9 storey housing estate building shot at an angle of about 30 degrees to the face of the building. Each storey is fronted by a rough textured concrete walkway, and at equal intervals ribbed balconies made of an opaque white material, possibly also concrete, curve outwards. Residents' satellite dishes cast shadows in the spring sun. In the foreground, a leafy tree covers most of the first set of balconies.

Entire societies have lived and died in the time I have prevaricated over whether to post this, but… I don’t know, something about this one just catches my eye.

Posted on August 5, 2025.

Balconies of Wells House, Spa Green Estate, Clerkenwell, London, 2025

Ground level shot looking up at an 8 storey building, focusing on the balconies. These alternate with tiles at the sides and latticed fencing in the middle, and vice versa. The balconies are inset into the building and either side of them is a grid of clean, PVC windows.

Posted on August 3, 2025.

Brunswick Centre in the sunset, London, 2025

A photo of the Brunswick Centre taken at a 45 degree angle. It is a concrete ziggurat-style structure, painted white, with small conservatory-like glass balconies on each floor. The sun is setting, and people are crossing the zebra crossing on front of the building.

A detail photo of the Brunswick Centre. It is a concrete structure painted white, ziggurat-style, about 6 stories. The photo shows a front-on view of 4 glass conservatories coming out the face of the building on each floor.

A detail photo of the Brunswick Centre, showing two concrete columns rising a few metres above the top storey of the building. They appear to be used for cooling, with vents in the top section of the column.

Posted on August 1, 2025.

The future of housing in Britain – a 1960’s converted office block in Stockport, 2025

A modern black-and-white four-story office building stands behind a row of closed, graffiti-marked shops with peeling blue paint and metal shutters. The sky is partly cloudy, and a To Let sign is visible. The scene appears quiet and urban.

Posted on May 3, 2025.

Condemned housing in Altrincham, 2025

A three-story brick apartment building with balconies, white-framed windows, and geometric-patterned doors stands next to a paved, mossy courtyard. Leafless trees and a brick outbuilding are visible in the background beneath a blue sky.

A building corner with yellow-brown brick walls, a window with a patterned curtain, and a section of concrete lattice blocks with a honeycomb design. Two round white lights are mounted on the wall near white doors, one numbered 4. The building shows some weathering.

A brick apartment building with white-framed windows. One unit has a balcony with a white railing and a door covered by a blue sheet with a white geometric pattern. Two satellite dishes are mounted on the wall below. The sky is clear and blue.

A three-story brick apartment building with square windows, small balconies, and a tiled central section. A double door entrance is at the center, with a man carrying a red bag standing on the left. The scene is lit by daylight.

Posted on April 6, 2025.

Housing with touches of art deco in Sale, 2025

Squint and pretend you can’t see the uPVC!

A three-story brick apartment building with white accents and a central entrance. There are multiple windows on each floor, some with satellite dishes. A small front lawn, paved path, low brick wall, and a street sign are visible in the foreground under a clear sky.

Posted on March 15, 2025.

William Penny’s Almshouses, Lancaster, 2025

Check out the concrete planters beneath the windows!

A three-story apartment building with rectangular windows and a flat roof sits behind a sloped grassy lawn. Potted plants are visible on window ledges. Bare tree branches frame the image above, and an old brick wall and metal gate are in the foreground.

Posted on February 1, 2025.

Housing in Halifax, 2024

A tall, beige apartment building stands behind a concrete wall. In front, six cars—black, red, and white—are parked in marked spaces. The sky is overcast, and a sign on the wall reads “Parking For Residents Only.”.

A brutalist concrete spiral staircase with rounded edges and built-in lights juts out from a brick building. A blue column supports part of the stairs. The structure is weathered and sits beside a narrow alley with stone walls. The sky is overcast.

Close-up of a cylindrical, weathered concrete structure with two stacked sections, supported by a blue column. Surrounding it are yellow-brown brick and concrete buildings, with a tall modern apartment block in the background. The sky is overcast.

Posted on December 10, 2024.