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Hillview Estate | Bloomsbury
The Hillview Estate in the heart of King's Cross, was built in the 1890s to house the poor.
This medium-size (230 flats in total) housing estate has a strong sense of community, being in a neighbourhood with a deeply rooted population, and because of its layout of mansion blocks linked by central courtyards. These once bleak and uninviting spaces have now been completely transformed.
The refurbishment included the remodelling of existing flats to form a total of 230 dwellings, around several central courtyard areas, during which the tenants were decanted from the site. The total cost of the works was around £9.5 million. The works were completed in seven phases.
Hillview was at one time due to be demolished by the council, which was unable to afford its modernisation. But the passion and tireless efforts of the residents' collective (known as Short Life Community Housing) saved the buildings, which were sold to the Community Housing Association, now One Housing Group. The estate and its residents have been through much turbulence over the last 100 years, but in that lies the backbone to a dwelling place with a great deal of character and charm.
Credits
Client: One Housing Group
Contractor: Kingsbury Group
Architect: Livingstone Design Group
Structural Engineer: Ellis & Moore
Surveyor: Mac Convilles
Services Engineer: Mendick Waring
Winner of the Evening Standard: The Best Homes Award 1999