39 New Road

The building at 39 New Road is a detached house constructed in the late 20th century. Its design is strikingly original, featuring a spiralling plan within a square footprint. A central, square well is defined by four freestanding piers of blockwork, and a wooden ramp wraps around this well, connecting a family room at the base with a split-level living, dining, and kitchen space at the upper level, which also leads to a roof terrace. Bedrooms, bathrooms, and studies are positioned around the ramp, and the staggered floor levels mean that the house, apart from the ground floor, does not have conventional storeys. Initially, the house was designed with the upper levels intended for the parents and the lower levels for the children.

The exterior walls are primarily of limestone aggregate concrete blockwork, originally left exposed but now mostly painted. The roof is asphalt, with a terrace of concrete paving and felted, single-ply sheeting. The elevation is characterised by stark, largely blank walls punctuated by two very narrow, full-height vertical windows, mirroring the width of the ramp. These windows interrupt the roofline and reflect the internal ramp's slope. A south-facing (street) facade is designed with a carport and sliding glass doors providing access from the family room to the garden; the carport has been enclosed, although the original door alignment has been retained. A geodesic glass dome studio has been added to the rear, connected to the north facade by a glazed passageway which aligns with one of the vertical windows.

Internally, the original fair-faced blockwork is now painted, while timber-boarded ceilings and joinery retain a clear varnish finish. The ceilings feature electric heating panels, along with a later addition of central heating. Concrete floors are mostly carpeted. Original fitted furniture remains, including timber cupboards separating the dining and living areas, and fitted kitchen cupboards.