The Hallfield Estate is owned by Westminster City Council and is one of several modernist housing projects in London designed in the immediate post-war period by the Tecton architecture practice. Construction of the 14 different blocks took place in two phases during 1951–55 and 1955–58.
Hallfield was designated a conservation area by Westminster City Council in 1990, and the majority of Estate buildings were listed Grade II in June 2011. Hannah Parham, the English Heritage Designation Advisor, responded to this listing decision by commenting: “The estate presents a convincing riposte to criticism that post-war council housing is grey, drab and utilitarian. At Hallfield, the exteriors of each block are treated like works of abstract art – some are patterned with a chequerboard of blue and red brickwork; others have a zigzagging screen of white concrete panels. The estate now exists amongst an elite group of 16 listed post war housing estates estate in London – estates that are successful as places to live and are cared for by their residents”.
Unfortunately, the listing contributed to severe delays when it was decided in 2012 that the 50 year old original windows needed replacing, as in some cases, it was not possible to obtain planning permission for the replacement windows, whilst at the same time complying with the England & Wales Building Regulations that came into force in 2010. The result was several bathroom and kitchen windows did not get replaced, and the constant delays on the project, meant that only 3 of the 14 blocks ended up with replacement windows, and the Council reached a Compromise Agreement with Essex based main contractors Mulalley, paying them an undisclosed amount of compensation.
The 3 blocks that were fortunate enough to have thermally broken aluminium double glazing installed by Mulalley sub-contractors Hazlemere Commercial before the refurbishment project for the remaining blocks was pulled, were Pembroke House, Reading House and Tenby House. Hazlemere Commercial fabricated and installed double glazed thermally broken RAL dual colour Sapa Crown aluminium casement windows with slim sight lines.
Project – Pembroke House, Tenby House and Reading House
Location – Hallfield Estate, Westminster, London W2
Building Use – Residential Apartments
Client – Mulalley & Co Contractors
Products Used – Sapa Crown Squareline Aluminium Casement Windows
Value – £250,000 + VAT
