SEVEN FACTS ABOUT KENSAL HOUSE a grade II* listed building By the participants of Kensal Voices a project run by SPID Theatre Company

Modernism

Kensal House resembles an ocean liner with its sweep and

curve of white wall and it s upper-deck tubular ironwork.

Modernist architects wanted to break with architectural tradition and design simple unornamented

buildings. The !oor plans were functional and logical.

The characteristics of modernist architecture are a visual emphasis on horizontal and vertical lines. The design is typically free of clutter and unnecessary elements and the natural appearance of a material ought to be seen rather than concealed or altered to represent something else.

By  

Athavan  

Manikavasagar

In the 1930's,most of the Kensal House tenants were people rehoused by the Kensington Borough Council in accordance with the terms of the 1930 Slum-Clearance and Rehousing Act. This later progressed to working class immigrants moving to Kensal House,which was unusual at the time because the middle class usually lived in modernist buildingslike Kensal House.To those "rst tenants Kensal House was a paradise, with luxuries like balconies, heating, lighting, also the rent was very cheap.

Kensal House is in Ladbroke Grove in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.The neighbourhood is famous for its proximity to Portobello road market and is part of the Notting Hill Carnival route.

PEOPLE  AND  NEIGHBOURHOOD

Kensal House is close to Kensal Green Cemetery where many famous people were buried including Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex and son of King George III of the United Kingdom.

By  

 Mohammed  Blaaza  

&  Alkabir  Amer

Kensal House is a Grade II* listed building designed by architect

Maxwell Fry.

Maxwell Fry was credited with the design of Kensal House but in fact 3 other

architects helped:James Robert Atkinson OBE,

Charles Holloway James R.A., F.R.I.B.A., George Grey Wornum

Cotherstone.

Fry wanted to change the Traditionalist view of architecture and make it more modernist.

These four architects along with housing consultant Elizabeth Denby were appointed as a small commitee to select the equipment that would be installed in Kensal House.

By  

Ahmed  Ejaz,  

Athavan  Manikavasagar  

&  Shann  Stewart

Aswad and The Clash, are only two of the many bands who

wrote a lot of their music based near Kensal House. Just down the road from Kensal House is the Westway which is

mentioned in The Clash song “London’s Burning” and the Blur song “For Tomorrow”.

The legendary Bob Marley, in 1977 recorded Exodus at Island Records in Notting Hill not far from

Kensal House.

Local venue, the 606 club, pulled together the best of the blues, R&B and jazz.

MUSIC

Notting Hill Carnival, started in 1966 it was an event where you could experience all manner of African and Caribbean music.

As part of the Kensal Voices project, we created a compilation that features a track from each decade through the years that Kensal House has existed. We then created, with the help of DJ Theo Krish a track to encompass our feelings and opinions about Kensal House. By  

Anuli  Changa

The characteristics of modernist architecture are a visual emphasis on horizontal and vertical lines. The design is typically free of clutter and unnecessary elements and the natural appearance of a material ought to be seen rather than concealed or altered to represent something else.

Residents and the local community are having a positive effect on Kensal House.

The Residents Association is reforming. It aims to unite the residents and to provide support.

Anita (Chair) says, “We need more residents to come down and get involved. We discuss problems like decorating the building, and suggestions of tea mornings, especially for the elderly.”

The meetings are once/ twice monthly, and the association started last year.

COMMUNITY  SPIRIT  AT  KENSAL  HOUSE

GET INVOLVED!

To  find  out  more  contact  

Anita  Williams  on  

anitawill@msn.com

By  

Athavan  

Manikavasagar

Contact

Tel.  0208  968  2961

www.spidtheatre.com

S.P.I.D.  the  award-­winning  

film  and  theatre  company  is  currently  

based  on  site  in  the  Kensal  House  community  

rooms!  The  theatre  company  won  a  First  Light  award  in  

2013  for  the  ‘High  Above  the  Sky’  production.  

S.P.I.D.  (2013-­14):  Projects  

all  take  place  during  the  week                                                                                                                              

KENSINGTON  CENTRAL  LIBRARY  CONNECTS  WITH  KENSAL

S.P.I.D.

Check  out  local  history  on  your  doorstep.

their  archive  of  fascinating  original  maps,  photos,  newspaper  clippings,  as  well  as  

architectural  reviews.

When  Kensal  House  was  built  the  main  stairwell  and  all  the  

separate  ones  for  each  floor  were  pricey  to  build.  Usually  there’s  

one  per  building!  Architects  call  this  a  ‘transition  space’,  and  the  

architects  at  the  time  (Fry  et  al.)  actually  worked  with  sociologist  

the  community  would  meet.

By  

 Mohammed  Blaaza  

&  Alkabir  Amer

By  

Natalie  

Stachon

The public utility - Gas Light and Coke Company funded the Kensal House building project. The benefit to the company, apart from a public charitable gesture, was to show how more efficient, cheaper and better gas was over electricity.

Elizabeth Denby was the 'housing consultant' for Kensal House. She decided on the in-house specifications for the flats, which were fuelled by gas.

Elizabeth and the committee of four architects had a lot to juggle to keep the building works cheap yet provide new, modern fittings.

In  the  1930’s  new  modern  flats  

were  usually  built  for  the  richer  

population  who  were  the  ones  used  to  having  

the  mod-­cons!

Visible  on  maps,  Kensal  House  is  near  the  gasworks.  Kensal  

House  was  built  by  the  canal  (for  ease  of  transport  of  materials)  and  

the  railway  which  brought  commuters  and  people  to  live  there.

THE GAS WORKS

By  

Ahmed  Ejaz,  

Athavan  Manikavasagar  

&  Shann  Stewart

By  

Natalie  

Stachon

By  

Natalie  

Stachon

 

Kensal  House  was  

originally  designed  as  an  

‘urban  village’.  The  house  plan  

consisted  of  the  housing  blocks,  

nursery,  playground,  club  rooms,  

stage  for  theatricals,  canteen  and  

facilities  for  carpentry  and  boot  repair.  

The  housing  is  made  up  of  two  neat  

parallel  blocks.  From  the  nursery's  

view,  facing  the  housing's  curved  

resembles  a  view  of  a  

coliseum.

Kensal  House  

is  designed  on  a  

Each  flat  catches  the  

morning  and  evening  

sun  and  has  two  balconies.  

This  picture  was  taken  during  

the  sunset  from  one  of  the  

balconies.  The  bedrooms  and  

living  room  are  placed  on  the  outside  

making  sure  that  both  will  benefit  from  

sunlight  during  the  day.

HOUSEPLAN

By  

Anuli  Changa

By  

In 1984, a documentary film was produced and distributed by Concord Media featuring Kensal

House, entitled ‘Twelve Views of Kensal House’. It features contemporary footage of Kensal House

and the area around it with descriptions about the happenings in the community. Also there are

insightful anecdotes from originial residents of Kensal House.

To  find  out  more  contact  

Anita  Williams  on  

anitawill@msn.com

By  

Anuli  Changa  &  

Demilade  Adesanya

This booklet was made by the participants of Kensal Voices, a project run by SPID Theatre Company delivered in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum, Twentieth Century Society, North Kensington Library and Kensington Central Library.

Project participants Ahmed EjazAlkabir AmerAnna-Maria AmatoAnuli ChangaAthavan ManikavasagarBetty DerebeCarolina JimenezChristian VillaflorDemilade AdesanyaElena ChaquesJacobo Ocampo ValenciaJames Stewart-WilliamsKyle MorganHana MontagueMaria MinasolaMohammed BlaazaNatalie StachonSafia AbdullahShann StewartTeshome Clarke

SPID Theatre Company

Artistic DirectorHelena Thompson

Project LeadersMariana Sastre and

Nnenna Samson

Thanks to the industry professions who delivered inspirational workshops and formed a key part of this project. Gurmeet Sian (Architect, Office Sian)Eva Branscombe (Modern Architecture Expert, Twentieth Century Society)Theo Krish (DJ/ Producer/ Composer)Ekaterina Solomeina (Designer)

The Victoria and Albert Museum Filipa Alves De Sousa (Assistant Programme Manager, Young People’s Programmes)Asa de Souza-Jones (Events Assistant)

Twentieth Century Society Catherine Croft (Director)

North Kensington LibrarySilva Memic (Customer Services Manager)Gaynor Lynch (Lending Librarian)

Kensington Central LibraryDave Walker (Local Studies Librarian)

Gas Works and House Plan sunset photographs by Christian Villaflor

Cover photograph by Alexandra Kataigida

SPID Theatre CompanyInvanhoe Norona, Company ProducerAnn Lecker (Marketing and Outreach Officer)Rosa Brook (Marketing and Outreach Intern)Caryn Stanley (Awards Advisor)Alexandra Kataigida (Administration)

Local ResidentsAnita Wiliams (Residents Association, Chair)Brian Hinton (Residents Association, Secretary) Hannington Lamolony (Residents Association)Maureen Packer (3rd March 1934- 5th May 2013. Kensal House Resident)Tom VagueBob PandyElston CobhamMaggie TylerSue Snyder

By  

Natalie  

Stachon

By  

Natalie  

Stachon

By  

Natalie  

Stachon