Knoll Court
Farquhar Road, London SE19
Architect: Austin Vernon & Partners
Register for similar homes"Austin Vernon & Partners set a high architectural standard, creating an estate that remains beautifully designed, verdant and peaceful"
Knoll Court forms part of the renowned Dulwich Estate, and was the first of the excellent blocks of flats built between 1957 and 1963 to a design by Austin Vernon and Partners. This immaculate two-bedroom apartment is on the fourth floor with wonderful views to the treetops. It has been lovingly restored by its current owners, returning its mid-century charm with colourful modern additions.
Set in well-maintained communal gardens and parkland, Knoll Court is shaded by huge mature trees. Inside the apartment, a small lobby leads to the large living space. Facing due south, this room is incredibly bright. Crittal windows span almost the length of the room and rotate on a central axis to create a prevailing sense of openness.
These apartments were intended to provide high-quality housing for working professionals. The living spaces have oak-parquet flooring with a gold trim underfoot, and this apartment also retains its original electric fireplace, set to one end of the room.
An original reeded-glass door opens onto the adjacent kitchen, which is fitted with soft pink-hued cabinetry and steel finishes by Pluck Brixton to chime with the tone of the stripped windowframes.
There are two equal-sized bedrooms with in-built cabinetry at the far end of the apartment, as well as a modern family bathroom with dove-grey tiling.
An area well-known for its exceptional Modern architecture, the Dulwich Estate occupies approximately 1,500 acres, with numerous private roads that are managed by the Estate. The mix of houses and exceptional landscaping make for an appealing and unique place to live.
Knoll Court sits near Dulwich and Sydenham Woods, which are wildlife nature reserves, and next to Crystal Palace Park. Other local attractions include the Dulwich Picture Gallery, the Horniman Museum and the local town centres of Crystal Palace and Dulwich Village. Crystal Palace, which was included in Lonely Planet’s ‘Greatest little-known neighbourhoods in the world’, is a short walk away, and is a vibrant area with award-winning restaurants and bars as well as having a thriving arts and music scene.
Gipsy Hill and Sydenham Hill stations are less than one mile away, with frequent links to London Victoria and London Bridge. There are also excellent bus connections towards Herne Hill, Brixton and into the centre of London.
Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: 126 years remaining
Parking: off-street
Council Tax Band: C (approx. £1,232.70 per annum)
Service Charge: approx. £1,500 per annum. The charge covers buildings insurance, freeholders’ administration or management charges, cleaning services, communal garden maintenance, repairs to shared areas and the outside of the building and concierge or caretaker
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
Knoll Court is situated in part of a large area of land in South East London that has been maintained for over 400 years by the Dulwich Estate. In the 1950s the estate ran into difficulty. The area had been badly damaged during the Second World War, and lease lengths were running so short that banks were no longer happy to lend on the houses and selling was becoming more and more difficult. People were leaving the area and renting their houses out.
In 1954, Austin Vernon & Partners were called on to design a scheme that would rejuvenate the Dulwich Estate. Vernon himself had formerly been a pupil at Dulwich College from 1898 -1901 and so knew this area well, whilst his uncle Frederick Austin Vernon (1882-1972) had already been the surveyor and architect to the Dulwich Estate.
By 1957 Vernon’s first scheme of building was completed. Knoll Court was the first to be built, and the flats on Farquhar Road proved to be such a success that a second scheme began, encompassing the nearby Lymer Road and beyond. Over the next 20 years more than 2,000 new homes were designed by Austin Vernon & Partners, resulting in a remarkable area of 1950s and 60s-era architecture.
The houses and flats were designed to a high standard, with use of large expanses of glass, open rooms and central heating. Also quite remarkable was the landscaping that was planned for the estate. The roads were separated from pedestrian areas and large areas were given over to communal gardens and spinneys. The result was an estate which was and remains beautifully designed, verdant and peaceful.
