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[[File:LichfieldCourt3.jpg|200px|right]]The Lichfield Court development consists of two blocks of flats on a sloping site off Sheen Road and was originally intended for middle-income middle class residents who worked locally or travelled to London. The blocks, known as the Major and Minor Blocks, contain 152 flats and 59 flats respectively and are surrounded by estate grounds and car parking areas. The elevations of this steel-framed structure are faced with red coloured brick from which the white-stuccoed reinforced concrete balconies are cantilevered. Lichfield Court is streamlined with these bands of white balconies alternating with fenestration curved at the corners of the blocks: highly reminiscent of the design of an ocean liner, which the [[#Streamline Moderne|Streamline Moderne]] architecture of this era emulated. | [[File:LichfieldCourt3.jpg|200px|right]]The Lichfield Court development consists of two blocks of flats on a sloping site off Sheen Road and was originally intended for middle-income middle class residents who worked locally or travelled to London. The blocks, known as the Major and Minor Blocks, contain 152 flats and 59 flats respectively and are surrounded by estate grounds and car parking areas. The elevations of this steel-framed structure are faced with red coloured brick from which the white-stuccoed reinforced concrete balconies are cantilevered. Lichfield Court is streamlined with these bands of white balconies alternating with fenestration curved at the corners of the blocks: highly reminiscent of the design of an ocean liner, which the [[#Streamline Moderne|Streamline Moderne]] architecture of this era emulated. | ||
The buildings were awarded Grade II listing on 27th January 2004. At the time of its Grade II listing in 2004, the Twentieth Century Society noted: | [[File:LichfieldCourt5.jpg|200px|right]]The buildings were awarded Grade II listing on 27th January 2004. At the time of its Grade II listing in 2004, the Twentieth Century Society noted: | ||
“Bertram Carter's building goes beyond the merely functional brief to create a dramatic courtyard environment with white bands of the galleries stepping forward to envelop the staircase towers. This highly stylised effect is truly unique and takes the building from being a quite standard apartment block of the era to a truly exciting new level. | “Bertram Carter's building goes beyond the merely functional brief to create a dramatic courtyard environment with white bands of the galleries stepping forward to envelop the staircase towers. This highly stylised effect is truly unique and takes the building from being a quite standard apartment block of the era to a truly exciting new level. | ||
Revision as of 17:53, 31 December 2014
Lichfield Court is a Grade II listed Streamline Moderne block of flats in Richmond, Surrey. It was designed in 1935 by architect George Bertram Carter who was trained by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Lichfield Court was built on the site of the earlier Lichfield House. This was a Queen Anne style mansion latter was reputedly designed by Sir Christopher Wren for the 1st Earl of Abergavenny and later became the palace for the Bishop of Lichfield.
Background
The Lichfield Court development consists of two blocks of flats on a sloping site off Sheen Road and was originally intended for middle-income middle class residents who worked locally or travelled to London. The blocks, known as the Major and Minor Blocks, contain 152 flats and 59 flats respectively and are surrounded by estate grounds and car parking areas. The elevations of this steel-framed structure are faced with red coloured brick from which the white-stuccoed reinforced concrete balconies are cantilevered. Lichfield Court is streamlined with these bands of white balconies alternating with fenestration curved at the corners of the blocks: highly reminiscent of the design of an ocean liner, which the Streamline Moderne architecture of this era emulated.
The buildings were awarded Grade II listing on 27th January 2004. At the time of its Grade II listing in 2004, the Twentieth Century Society noted:
“Bertram Carter's building goes beyond the merely functional brief to create a dramatic courtyard environment with white bands of the galleries stepping forward to envelop the staircase towers. This highly stylised effect is truly unique and takes the building from being a quite standard apartment block of the era to a truly exciting new level.
“The courtyard walkways with their sculptural uniformity let the building transcend from the moderne to the modern. In this they are reminiscent of Wells Coates' Embassy Court in Brighton dating from 1934-35 with its ‘radical white bands of balconies and stair parapets'. This idea of the external walkway as access for high-rise buildings became very popular in post-war developments, and Lichfield Court can therefore be seen as an early forerunner of this design development.
Poirot & Other Media Coverage
Lichfield Court was used in an episode of the ITV drama series 'Poirot' called 'One Two, Buckle My Shoe'.
See Also In Chimni
ChimniWiki 'Moderne' Blocks Of Flats
Chimni Wiki Homes Used In Poirot Episodes
ChimniWiki Is My House 'Art Deco'?
Other Interesting Sites
http://www.lichfieldcourt.com/p/about.html
References
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