Lillington Gardens
Encyclopedia
Lillington Gardens is an estate in the Pimlico
area of Westminster
, London
, constructed between 1961 and 1971 to a plan by Darbourne & Darke
.
The estate was among the last of the high-density public housing schemes built in London during the postwar period, and is referred to as one of the most distinguished. Notably, seven years before the Ronan Point
disaster ended the dominance of the tower block
, Lillington Gardens looked ahead to a new standard that achieved high housing density within a medium rather than high-rise structure. It emphasised individuality in the grouping of dwellings, and provided for private gardens at ground and roof levels.
The estate's high build quality, and particularly the planted gardens of its wide "roof streets", blend sympathetically with the surrounding Victorian terraces.
The estate's high quality design was acknowledged by a Housing Design Award (1961), Ministry of Housing and Local Government Award for Good Design (1970), RIBA Award (1970) and RIBA Commendation (1973). Nikolaus Pevsner
described it in 1973 as "the most interesting recent housing scheme in London".
The site surrounds the Grade I listed Church of St James the Less
, built in 1859-61. The entire estate, including the church, was designated a conservation area
in 1990.
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
area of Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, constructed between 1961 and 1971 to a plan by Darbourne & Darke
Darbourne & Darke
Darbourne & Darke was a firm of architects and landscape planners.Though their work includes a football stand , laboratories and offices, and the landscaping of much of Heathrow Airport, London, the firm's most notable output was in the realm of public housing.The firm was founded to design the...
.
The estate was among the last of the high-density public housing schemes built in London during the postwar period, and is referred to as one of the most distinguished. Notably, seven years before the Ronan Point
Ronan Point
Ronan Point was a 22-story tower block in Newham, east London, which suffered a partial collapse when a gas explosion demolished a load-bearing wall, causing the collapse of one entire corner of the building...
disaster ended the dominance of the tower block
Tower block
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
, Lillington Gardens looked ahead to a new standard that achieved high housing density within a medium rather than high-rise structure. It emphasised individuality in the grouping of dwellings, and provided for private gardens at ground and roof levels.
The estate's high build quality, and particularly the planted gardens of its wide "roof streets", blend sympathetically with the surrounding Victorian terraces.
The estate's high quality design was acknowledged by a Housing Design Award (1961), Ministry of Housing and Local Government Award for Good Design (1970), RIBA Award (1970) and RIBA Commendation (1973). Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
described it in 1973 as "the most interesting recent housing scheme in London".
The site surrounds the Grade I listed Church of St James the Less
St James the Less, Pimlico
St James the Less is an Anglican church in Pimlico, in the evangelical/charismatic tradition. It is Grade I listed.Since 1961, the church has been surrounded by the Lillington Gardens estate.-History:From Old and New London :-References:...
, built in 1859-61. The entire estate, including the church, was designated a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
in 1990.
External links
- Lillington Gardens – Westminster City Council guide