An incredibly private situation, less than a minute’s walk from the open expanses of Blackheath, presents a rare and wonderful opportunity for restoration. This exquisite mid-century modern home was designed in 1964 by the architect Paul Tvrtković for his own family and remains in remarkably original form, like a capsule of time from its conception. It rests atop a south-facing hill on a plot of around an eighth of an acre and extends some 2,300 sq ft inside.

The Architect

Paul Tvrtković was born in 1927 in the former Yugsolavia and studied architecture at the University of Zagreb under several Bauhaus-trained professors. Having escaped the post-war communist regime of Tito, he eventually settled in London where he became notable as the architect for the New London Theatre, Drury Lane, now known as the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

The Tour

The house is barely noticeable from the outside, set back from the quiet residential street behind a high brick wall with vehicular and pedestrian gates, partially concealed by mature trees.

Unusually for 1960s construction, the house is entirely steel framed, and oriented so that its narrow side faces the road, maintaining a modest anonymity while belying the expanse within. Its front and rear elevations at the upper level are a dark engineering brick. At the long southern side, the composition is of timber clad sections and masses of glazing. A slight cantilever of the upper section along this southern line provides a covered route to the rear loggia.

Once inside the gates there is parking beneath a towering Balkan spruce and the shelter of a tiled car port. Mosaic tiles, timber-slatted doors and pine cladding envelop the space, and a panel of wired glass brings light into the hall.

The entrance hall begins with a section of terrazzo flooring, with cloak cupboards to the left. Glazing to the right looks out onto a second pathway that leads along the northern strip of garden to the rear.

The entrance hall provides an impressive first view from one end of the house to the other, and through glazing to the garden at the rear. At the end of that view is a studio with glazed surrounds and doors onto the rear loggia.

Flooring through much of the house is solid, thin-slat Canadian maple, while ceilings are clad in Parana pine from South America. To the left of the entrance is a large bedroom and across from it, with a continuation of the terrazzo, are a bathroom, utility with shower and side access from the garden.

A fabulous open, mahogany staircase with cork inlay treads and steel balustrade cuts through the centre-right of the plan to rise to the upper level, alongside a wall of hessian. It lands in an enormous open-plan living and dining room with soaring ceilings, exposed brick walls and a mass of south-facing glazing. A galley kitchen is positioned just off the main room, also with glazing to the south.

Three bedrooms and a library/study are positioned at the eastern end of the house and a bathroom is situated in the centre of the plan. The built-in cupboards in each bedroom were designed by the architect, Paul Tvrtkovic; a design which he later patented.

The roof of the house was replaced in November of 2023.

Outside Space

The house rests in around one-eighth of an acre and is surrounded by garden on every side. Its position on the site veers close to the northern wall, allowing only a small pathway and strip of garden to be a visual draw for the northern glazing. This positioning allows the larger, south-facing section to be the garden proper, which in its elevated position, receives excellent light.

The garden is mostly laid to lawn with limited planting around the borders. Of note are the 10 or so mature trees that grace the site, including two glorious copper beeches, a sycamore, a plane and an ash, in addition to the aforementioned Balkan spruce.

The Area

Blackheath Village is around an 11-minute walk away and is renowned for its community spirit. There is a wonderful array of thriving independent shops and eateries, including Montpeliers for pasteries, Arts Kitchen or 15grams for coffee and after-hours artisanal wine. Le Bar A Vin is also a cosy spot and has over 100 French wines to pick from. The much-loved weekly farmers' market every Sunday is the perfect place to pick up a fresh loaf of sourdough and flowers. We've written more about our recommendations in Blackheath in our Journal.

The well-regarded John Ball Primary School is a few minutes' walk from the house. There are also a host of excellent school options for secondary schools in the area, including the Thomas Tallis School, as well as an array of independent schools.

Blackheath station is around a seven-minute walk away (or a two-minute cycle) from the house, and is one stop from the Docklands Light Railway for easy access to both the Docklands and the City. Trains from Blackheath to London Bridge take approximately 10 minutes; services also run to Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street.

Council Tax Band: G