Research Project 1 – Architectural Buildings – Angus Tung
Lawn Road Flats (Isokon) by Wells Coates
Upon its opening in 1934, Lawn Road Flats (aka The Isokon) was at the forefront of modern architecture in Britain. The initiative started after Jack and Rosemary (Molly) Pritchard, the owners, met with Canadian architect Wells Coates. At first, they were considering building two detached houses on the lot, however, their fascination with the progressive developments in European architecture led them to settle on an entirely different program based on the Existenzminimum experiment.4
The architect Wells Coates was inspired by Le Corbusier, who believed that a building should be a machine for living. As a result, his 32 flats were designed to create as much utility and comfort as possible on a limited site. The building consisted of 22 single apartments, four double apartments, three studio apartments, staff quarters, kitchens, and a large garage. The penthouses on top were home to the Prichard family. A comparison has been made between the Isokon Building and an ocean liner due to its curved form and white appearance as it reflects Wells Coates’ parallel interests in boat building and product design. The interior fittings, designed especially for young professionals who have few possessions and a mobile lifestyle, the Studio apartments include a kitchen, a dressing room, a bathroom, a living/sleeping area, and a bathroom in total 25 square meters.5
As a reflection of Jack Pritchard’s interaction with his own company, Isokon, the studio flats were furnished with plywood furniture. Bauhaus’ founder, Walter Gropius used to be the head designer of the company and he assigned his colleague, Marcel Bruer, as his successor before he left for America. Marcel Bruer designed quite a few iconic furniture pieces during his stay at the company as well as the Lawn Road Flat itself.
There is no doubt the Isokon Long Chair is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture associated with Lawn Road Flats and the Isokon Company. The Long Chair was based on an aluminum chair that Bruer had designed in 1932-1933. The use of plywood to replace metal structures echoed the built-in cabinetry in the flats, as well as its proportion to the size of the room, which could be considered a perfect fit for a one-bed studio. People could relate the curved lines of the chair to the curved detailing of the building, giving them a sense of modernism and simplicity. Currently, this Long Chair is still available for purchase, and you can add upholstered seats to make it more comfortable. 6
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4 Isokon Gallery. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://isokongallery.org/.
5 Isokon Building Lawn Road, london NW3. The Modern House. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://www.themodernhouse.com/past-sales/isokon-building/.
6 Long Chair, 1936. twentytwentyone. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://www.twentytwentyone.com/products/isokon-plus-marcel-breuer-long-chair.