This beautiful one-bedroom apartment is situated on the ground floor of a landmark project by renowned architect Amin Taha. The building lies within the Dalston conservation area, between a Victorian townhouse and a red-brick Edwardian school. The exterior, with its brick cladding, enormous windows and jutting wicker balconies, offers an intriguing transition between its neighbours. According to the architect, “its form echoes the slender gables of the school and standalone presence of the neighbouring villa.”

The Building

The building was constructed using cross-laminated timber (CLT), which provides a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel, acting as both a structure and an internal finish. Employing CLT eradicates the necessity for finishing materials such as plasterboard, suspended ceilings, cornicing and skirting, greatly reducing the embodied carbon of the building.

Spruce Apartments has featured extensively in the architectural press, including The Architects’ Journal, Domus and Dezeen. It was a winner at the 2016 Hackney Design Awards, and was shortlisted for the 2017 RIBA Stirling Prize.

The Tour

Set on the ground floor, the creatively designed living space is accessed via a communal entrance hall that leads to a private front door. There is secure bicycle storage provided at the front of the building.

The front door to the apartment opens into a hallway, which is home to a store/utility cupboard with a barn-style door. Interior walls of CLT create a warm and tactile environment; there is underfloor heating throughout.

The living room/kitchen is situated towards the rear of the plan, where a wide window looks over an internal lightwell. The kitchen is home to a Smeg fridge and oven, and a Gorenje induction hob set within a white Corian worktop, with two Fisher & Paykel dishwashers nestled underneath. Walls of CLT ensure a sense of continuity in the design, and there is plenty of storage space.

The double bedroom lies off the living room and also has a wide square black-framed window over the lightwell. The bathroom has a rubber covering to the walls and floor, with deep cupboards secreted behind the cistern.

The Area

Barrett’s Grove is located within easy reach of the independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs of Stoke Newington and Newington Green; Esters and Jolene are particular neighbourhood favourites. Much-loved Church Street is home to The Spence Bakery, Whole Foods and The Good Egg, as well as many other independent businesses. A short walk away is Primeur; recently described as “the perfect neighbourhood restaurant”, it serves modern European cuisine and natural wine.

There are several green spaces nearby; Abney Park & Cemetery and Clissold Park with its tennis courts, café, beautiful lakes, and resident deer are local favourites. Stoke Newington is very popular with young families, in part due to the number of good schools in the area. Particularly noteworthy are the Betty Layward Primary and Stoke Newington School.

Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction run Overground trains to Highbury & Islington, Shoreditch High Street and Stratford. Rectory Road is also close and offers trains to Liverpool Street in around 15 minutes.

Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: approx. 119 years remaining 
Service Charge: approx. £950 per annum
Ground Rent: approx. £550 per annum

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.