One of the most iconic post-war buildings in London is that of the Trellick Tower. Designed by the Brutalist architect Erno Goldfinger, it was finished and opened in 1972. It was built to replace older social housing that was becoming dilapidated. The building is made entirely out of concrete, as with most brutalist designs. It would have certainly kept www.monstermixconcrete.co.uk/concrete-tewkesbury/, a Concrete Tewkesbury based company busy supplying the material for its construction. Unlike other brutalist designs, it has stood the test of time and is regarded as something of an architectural classic. It has also proven to be safe. A fire in 2017 failed to become serious due to concretes inflammability.
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As a Grade II listed building, since 1998, the Tower has been seen as a local landmark. It is still used for social housing, but when a private flat comes up, there is always a lot of interest in renting or owning one. Goldfinger had already created a smaller tower in Poplar, London, some years before, but this was to be his crowning achievement.
The Tower contains 217 apartments with a level of 2 storey maisonettes. Everyone has a balcony with large windows to let in natural light. Clever additions include the hot water tank being based in the higher seated plant room, reducing energy use and pipework.
The Tower has been used in popular culture many times. It’s reputed to be an influence on JG Ballard’s book ‘High Rise’ and was featured in the interactive episode ‘Bandersnatch’ of the Black Mirror series.