8A, Fitzroy Park

This is a private house constructed between 1965 and 1967 by Hal Higgins of Higgins and Neyfor, with engineering input from Peter Epstein. The building is a rare example of a luxury house in a modern style. The design arose when Epstein, having seen Higgins and Ney’s earlier house in Spaniard’s End, commissioned what became their major private house.

The house is built on a steeply sloping site and incorporates a complex plan. The structure is primarily handmade brick with a concrete block inner skin, a steel frame painted black for the living room, reinforced concrete slabs for the living room, gallery, and bridge links, and steep-pitched slate roofs for adjoining pavilions. The design features a central, double-height living room above a semi-basement with a garden terrace overlooking the garden. Five pavilions are arranged around the living room, housing separate elements with a degree of independence. Bridge links connect the pavilions, and separate staircases rise from a gallery to the living room, except for the dining room in the south-east corner which has direct access. To the east and west of the living room are a kitchen with a children’s playroom above, and a housekeeper’s room with children’s rooms above. Further pavilions contain a guest room with nanny's accommodation above, a bathroom linked to a master bedroom above a study, and a garage at the entrance to the site. Access is gained via a steep brick ramp that leads below a covered link. Aluminium window units have been largely renewed with similar double-glazed replacements. A broad fascias to the living room terrace has a thick balustrade and additional awnings to shade the sun, alongside a large projecting concrete water spout.

The living room features an exposed black-painted steel frame, exposed brickwork, and an exposed timber ceiling. Built-in sofas are incorporated. Steps lead to a balcony with a brick balustrade, from where staircases rise or descend to the two-storey pavilions. The living room connects to the dining room, which extends into the roof space; a concealed window casts light across white plastered walls which contrast with a black and white marbled floor. The kitchen features exposed brick, a featured free-standing stove in a steel surround under a hood, and exposed brick and timber ceilings with timber screens. The gallery offers a half-landing to the lounge and links the remaining rooms. Bedrooms have fitted cupboards with natural timber finishes and matchboard panelling. A fitted cupboard connects the master bedroom to the bathroom, and the study is also panelled. A swimming pool is located in a tiled surround within the semi-basement. The design, while drawing inspiration from the Case Study houses of Los Angeles, largely published in the 1950s, incorporates heavier steel sections and the arrangement of semi-independent pavilions, demonstrating a design entirely of its time, notable for its complexity and separation of functions.