Design
Chimney breasts
Pictures from an article published on the AJ in April 1958 showing the precast units during on site works at Langham House Close
The four typologies
The living room chimney breasts are the central core of the interior of the flats at Ham Common, constructed from old yellow London stock bricks and combined with primitive geometric shapes made out of precast concrete.
This volumetric dynamism and the vertical openings leading to the kitchen/dining area, enhance the open-plan look that extends through the interior of the flats. The original fireplace hearths are made of 4” (100x100 mm) black quarry tiles that run along the length of the chimney breast, flush with the flooring. One interesting detail is provided by the bullnose cut black quarry tiles that cap the chimney breast openings and match the various window-sill tiles featured in the flats.
The four different designs of the central fireplace unit walls of Langham House Close are illustrated below.
Type 1
This type of design is used in all the ground-floors and second-floors flats of the three-storey block (Block 1). A total of 12 flats feature this configuration (three one-bedroom, six two-bedroom, and three three-bedroom).
Type 2
The second type of design is found inside all the first-floor flats of the three-storey block (Block 1).
A total of six flats feature this design (three three-bedroom and three two-bedroom).
Type 3
Type 3 is found in all the ground-floor flats of the first two-storey block (Block 2) and in one ground-floor flat of the second two-storey block (Block 3). Four flats in total have this configuration.
Type 4
Type 4 is found in all the first-floor flats of the first two-storey block (Block 2) and in one first-floor flat of the second two-storey block (Block 3). Four flats in total have this configuration.
Type 3 B
Type 3B is found in two of the three ground-floor flats of the second two-storey block (Block 3). Type 3B is exactly the same design as Type 3, but “flipped”, because of the mirror layout orientation of the two two-storey blocks. Only two flats have this configuration.
Type 4 B
Type 4B is again exactly the same design as Type 4, but “flipped”. Type 4B is found in two of the three first-floor flats of the second two-storey block (Block 3) of the Langham House Close Estate. This configuration occurs in only two flats on the estate.
