Kensal House

Kensal House comprises linked blocks of flats constructed between 1936 and 1938. The architects were F Maxwell Fry and Grey Wornum. The design utilises reinforced concrete with a stucco finish. The buildings consist of two parallel blocks, with the western block having an L-shape and a gently curved north-south arm. The development includes housing and a Day Nursery, the latter housed in a crescent-shaped building overlooking a sunken playground located immediately west of the western block. These elements create two courtyards, both opening southwards towards the Great Western Railway line. The structures are flat-roofed with parapets, and feature uniform metal-framed casement windows. Ground-floor entrances consist of glazed wooden doors with four plain transoms each, sheltered by cantilevered reinforced concrete slab hoods. The buildings are five storeys high, six where the ground level slopes to the south, with small attic superstructures situated centrally in each block.

The east block has twelve bays, arranged symmetrically. It incorporates 4-light casements in the end bays, 5-light casements in the two middle bays, and 3-light casements elsewhere. A cantilevered reinforced concrete slab porch is located at the north end, and a plain concrete balcony with steps leading down is positioned at the south end; a bridge links this balcony to a similar balcony along the west block. The basement of the east block originally contained community rooms, including a hall with a stage at the south end (which remains in situ), a snack bar, and activity rooms.

The west block features a short arm with six bays (two of which are balcony bays) and a long arm with 22 bays, also symmetrically arranged. The short arm includes a flat carriage arch to allow access to a car park situated in the north half of the internal courtyard; the southern half of this area is a garden. The west elevations of both blocks exhibit two types of balcony, alternating with two bays of regular fenestration. One type is cantilevered reinforced concrete with flat hoods and plain concrete partitions. The other type is smaller, set in antis, with perforated concrete balustrades, and flanks the staircase bays.