Six Pillars House
{{short description|Listed building in the London Borough of Southwark}}
{{Use British English| date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates| date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Six Pillars
| image = File:Six Pillars, Dulwich.jpg
| image_caption = Six Pillars in 2014
| map_type =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map_size =
| map_dot_label =
| map_dot_mark =
| alternate_names =
| building_type = House
| architectural_style = Modernist
| classification = Grade II*
| location = Sydenham, London Borough of Southwark
| location_city = London
| location_country = United Kingdom
| coordinates = {{coord|51.4332|-0.0724|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| start_date = 1932
| material = London stock brick
| status = Complete
}}
Six Pillars is a Grade II* listed building in Sydenham in the London Borough of Southwark. The house was built in the 1930s in the modernist style.
History
Six Pillars is in Sydenham in the London Borough of Southwark, opposite Dulwich Wood.{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/3356594/South-Londons-own-white-house.html| title=South London's own white house| work=The Daily Telegraph| url-access=subscription| date=22 February 2007| access-date=10 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410190446/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/3356594/South-Londons-own-white-house.html| archive-date=10 April 2020| url-status=live}} It is the only modernist house in its street as the other houses are more ordinary townhouses or Victorian villas. Six Pillars was built by architect Valentine Harding, who was working for Tecton Group.{{cite magazine| url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/tectons-six-pillars-for-sale/8637961.article| title=Tecton's Six Pillars for sale| last=Ravenscroft| first=Tom| magazine=Architects' Journal| url-access=subscription| date=31 October 2012| access-date=10 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410190447/https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/tectons-six-pillars-for-sale/8637961.article| archive-date=10 April 2020| url-status=live}}{{cite journal| url=https://www.ribaj.com/culture/photography-tecton-dulwich-college-house-pilotis-by-dell-and-wainwright| title=Six Pillars, Dulwich Estate, London| last=Sanbrook| first=Justine| publisher=RIBA Journal| date=10 August 2018| access-date=10 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410190449/https://www.ribaj.com/culture/photography-tecton-dulwich-college-house-pilotis-by-dell-and-wainwright| archive-date=10 April 2020| url-status=live}} The company also built Highpoint I and the penguin enclosure at London Zoo, both of which are listed Grade I.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/aug/30/weekend7.weekend8| title=The future starts here| work=The Guardian| date=30 August 2003| access-date=10 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410190446/https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/aug/30/weekend7.weekend8| archive-date=10 April 2020| url-status=live}} It is one of four houses built by Harding, who died at the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940. It was built in the style of Villa Savoye, built by Le Corbusier,{{cite news| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65394370/six-pillars-1989| title=On The Move| work=The Observer| via=Newspapers.com| date=6 August 1989| access-date=11 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411100642/http://www.newspapers.com/image/259057493/| archive-date=11 April 2020| url-status=live}} and contains "glascrete" (concrete containing glass) to maximise the amount of sunlight in the house.
The house was built between 1932 and 1934 for John Leakey, headmaster of Dulwich College Preparatory School, and his wife.{{cite magazine| url=https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/homes-with-history-six-pillars| title=Homes with history: Six Pillars| last=MacAuslan| first=Fiona| magazine=Time Out| date=29 August 2006| access-date=10 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410190449/https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/homes-with-history-six-pillars| archive-date=10 April 2020| url-status=live}} It was built of London stock brick in a minimalist style so that it did not stand out from the Victorian era houses. The house was also set back from the road. The house, when built, contained four bathrooms, two bedrooms, three reception rooms, a study, and two maid's quarters. The ground floor of the house is divided by six cylindrical pillars, which gives the house its name.{{cite web| url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1385456| title=Six Pillars| publisher=Historic England| access-date=10 April 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410190448/https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1385456| archive-date=10 April 2020| url-status=live}} The entrance hall spans two floors and contains a sculpted staircase. The rear of the house contains strip windows, built in the same style as Highpoint I, and there is a first-floor glass balcony. The house covers an area of {{convert|3,000|ft2|m2}}.
In 1981, Six Pillars became a Grade II* listed building. In 1989, it was put on the market for £365,000. The house featured in the 1992 book Lubetkin & Tecton: An Architectural Study. In 1998, it was bought by Roger Trapp, who commissioned John Winter to undertake a restoration. Six Pillars House was put up for sale in 2012 with a guide price of £1,675,000.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1385456 Historic England]
Category:Grade II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Southwark
Category:Grade II* listed houses in London
Category:Modernist architecture in London