Highpoint
North Hill, London N6
Architect: Berthold Lubetkin
Register for similar homes“Perhaps the single most celebrated modernist building of the 1930s in London, praised even by Le Corbusier” - Alan Powers
This three-bedroom apartment is situated on the first floor of Highpoint I, arguably one of the finest examples of residential modernist architecture in London. Designed by pioneering modernist architect Berthold Lubetkin in the 1930s, Highpoint has been listed as Grade I by English Heritage in recognition of its extraordinary architectural rarity and quality. For more information, please see the History section below.
The Building
Lubetkin believed that architecture could improve society by transforming it, and this belief is evidenced by the amenities provided at Highpoint. The building has lift access, glorious communal gardens with extensive lawns, a climbing frame, residents’ tennis courts and a heated outdoor swimming pool. There is also a 24-hour comprehensive porter service, whose duties include helping to arrange maintenance and repairs for each flat, organising medical assistance, receiving deliveries and so forth. There is off-street parking for residents on a first-come-first-served basis. Each flat has a sizeable space in the basement for storage, and there is a bike shed in the garden.
Highpoint is immaculately maintained. The boiler, lifts, roof, exterior and windows were all repaired recently, and this particular flat has a share of the freehold with a very long lease.
The Tour
The first-floor apartment lies towards the centre of the Highpoint building, with entry gained through a set of double doors in dark hardwood. These open to an internal lobby, which leads to a bathroom and utility room.
This in turn opens to the main living space, which is characterised by a wide row of Crittall windows with treetop views to the north-east. The colour palette throughout is relatively neutral, with white walls and timber flooring in a light wash giving space for splashes of colour. A modern kitchen lies off the living space, where a sleek white island/breakfast bar with corian top and integrated induction hob sits centrally, off-white cabinets run along one wall and an aubergine splashback provides a delightful pop of colour.
A single door opens from the northern end of the living space to an internal hall, which provides access to three double bedrooms set around a large shower room. One of the bedrooms has built in wardrobes, and two contain feature walls – one in Farrow and Ball Moles Breath, and the other a Fornasetti wallpaper. The shower room is a calming sanctuary, with rough-hewn slate tiles on the walls and floor, and a window with obscured glazing providing natural light.
The Area
Highpoint is conveniently located within a short walk of the numerous shops, cafés and restaurants of Highgate Village, and Highgate underground station (Northern Line). The open spaces of Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House are close at hand, and the Parkland Walk is a disused railway line, lined with mature trees that runs from Highgate Tube station down to Finsbury Park.
Tenure: Leasehold with Share of Freehold
Lease Length: approx. 990 years remaining
Service Charge: approx. £10,500 per annum
Ground Rent: approx. £120 per annum
Council Tax Band: G
Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.
History
The Highpoint apartments, so-called because of their location on an elevated site, are one of the best examples of early International Style architecture in London. They were built in two phases: Highpoint I in 1935 and Highpoint II in 1938.
In his book Modern: The Modern Movement in Britain, Alan Powers wrote:
“Perhaps the single most celebrated modernist building of the 1930s in London, and praised even by Le Corbusier, Highpoint I was commissioned by Sigmund Gestetner, an industrialist with a strong interest in the social role of modernism. The footprint developed as a Cross of Lorraine, with equal arms, each containing a single flat, reached from two stair and lift cores at the intersections. The building is entered beneath the projecting end of the long axis, and the ground-floor plan bends and flows in contrast to the more rigid geometry overhead, leading to the stairs and through to the gardens beyond.
“The construction in monolithic reinforced concrete was a collaboration with Ove Arup and was facilitated by lifting the shuttering by stages to form the walls. The details of servicing and fittings were meticulously thought through, producing some novel alternative solutions.”
