Building record 1063300000 - Hillfield, Dunstable Road

Grade II+. Substantial detached house. 1933-6. Designed by Lubetkin and Tecton for Berthold Lubetkin's own use. Reinforced concrete. Flat roof. 1 storey. International Modern Idiom. Irregular 'T' shaped plan with 4-bay living room in south wing, facing west, bedrooms and bathroom in east wing and kitchen in shorter north wing. Entrance hall and dining hall to centre. Open terrace to west of dining room and kitchen, enclosed by 4 bay open concrete framework of 4 horizontal lights per bay the inner 2 bays of this projects outwards; this runs into a further open terrace to north and east of kitchen; this has a solid wall of full height which forms semi-circular curve to east of kitchen, enclosing a semi-circular pond and circular flower bed; this wall is broken by a large aperture with projecting solid fronted concrete balcony to north of kitchen. (Here, horizontal beams form pergola over terrace). 4-bay living room elevation (to west side) with 4 horizontal lights per bay, separated by concrete mullions and transoms; the central 2 lights to each bay are glazed while the upper and lower lights are now glazed with plywood (formerly with insulated glass) Steel framed windows. South elevation has blind wall of projecting living room to left and 6 bay wing to right, the outer bays to either side recessed to form loggias, while the inner bays are glazed in the same manner as the living room. The north and east walls are largely blind. To centre of house the curved screen which separates dining room from hallprojects above the roofline. All elevations are raised slightly above the ground, cantilevered out over the foundations. Interior not inspected. An important house by a major architect, built for his own use. Lubetkin and Tecton, P Coe and M Reading, pp 117-19; Architectural Review, vol. 81, 1937, pp 60-64 (B1).
The house was brought in 1990 by Mike Davies, a founder partner of the Richard Rogers Patnership, who is restoring the house to its former glory (B2).
Building report held in NMR (B3).