Designed back in the 1960s by Gresham Dodd, this mid-century-style house in the sought-after location of Jordans, Buckinghamshire is what you might call a ‘project’.
It’s a single story house, with a design influenced by Mies van der Rohe, Craig Ellwood and Philip Johnson and little changed from the day it was built – which means wall-to-wall windows for enjoying the view and wood paneling throughout. And those views are guaranteed – a covenant on the land forbids any further building.
The current credit crunch means there are less retro houses for sale in the UK – but there are still plenty elsehwere, if you have the money. Something you’ll need yo buy this André Bruyere-designed house in Saint Remy de Provence, Bouches du Rhône, France.
Bruyere designed this in 1968, based on traditional Mediterranean architecture, but throwing in some period 60s space age for an individual feel. Not that it needs much to stand out – the huge one-floor house is sat in one hectare of land, near to a nature reserve. Yes, we’re talking complete isolation, if that’s what you want and with a roof that doubles up as a patio, plenty of space to sit back and admire the landscape.
If you have money to spend on a European retreat in this volatile financial climate, you might want to check out this Jean Prouve-designed house in L’Isle Adam, Val d’Oise in France.
Jean Prouve (the man behind the likes of the Cite armchair and the Compas desk) designed this space age property back in 1967, with restoration (thankfully in the same spirit as the original) undertaken in 2003, saving original features like the large picture windows, the metal structure and the roof terrace. The view remains unchanged too – sat in the middle of the Vexin nature reserve. And when you get bored of that, Paris is just 45 minutes away.
That icon of the British sitcom – Arkwright’s Open All Hours shop – can be yours, with the property going up for auction this month.
Sadly, it’s not actually a grocer’s shop – the BBC used to refit the Beautique hairdressing salon in Lister Avenue, Balby, Doncaster every time they wanted to film, but if you want to convert it to a full time shop, it shouldn’t be hard. Indeed, it could well be a goldmine for any budding Ronnie Barkers if you opted for an authentic refit complete with Arkwright-branded merchandise.
Also included in the sale is the upstairs one-bedroom flat and outside toilet, which is expected to make between £120,000 and £130,000 at auction in Leeds on November 24th. If anyone fancies chipping in for it, drop us a line – we’re more than keen.
One for our US readers (or UK readers with an urge to relocate) – the Philip Johnson-designed mid-century house in New Canaan, Connecticut, NY, USA.
Johnson designed the house back in 1953 – and it’s a stone’s throw away from his more famous Glass House. Indeed, there’s plenty of glass in this one too, mixed with more traditional masonry, slate-tiled floors and plastered walls. There’s also a gravel courtyard at its centre, designed as a ‘negative imprint’ of the house itself.
Got just over a million to spare? Well, you could be the owner of this stunning art deco-style 1930s house in Lytton Close, Hampstead, London.
Designed by architect GG Winbourne and grade II-listed, it’s situated in a quiet cul-de-sac in Hampstead Garden Suburb, still every bit the 1930s house from the outside, but with sympathetic modernisation on the inside.
