walk/tour
Maxwell Fry, 1937
Kensal House (pedestrian entrance), Ladbroke Grove, W10 5BQ
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Walk through almost a century of housing in North Kensington, from the modernist ideals of Kensal House to today's major regeneration schemes. Explore Wornington Green, Portobello Square and the Kensal Gasworks site, ending with a tour of the residential spaces of the Kensal House estate and an exhibition exploring the area's past, present and future in the Residents' Room.
Kensal Green, Ladbroke Grove
Kensal Green, Kensal Rise
18, 228, 23, 452, 52, 70
The planned route involves stairs but please let us know in advance if you require an alternative route.
The tour includes climbing stairs. Loud train noises are frequent as paddington mainline is adjacent. Seating and toilets at the end
Completed in 1937, Kensal House was commissioned by the Gas Light and Coke Company as an experiment in modern housing. Designed by Maxwell Fry in collaboration with housing pioneer Elizabeth Denby, it became Britain's first modernist housing estate designed specifically for working-class families. The proposed design centred on the principle of "community in action", with shared facilities including a nursery, workshops, gardens and a community theatre.
Beginning at Wornington Green, the tour explores almost a century of housing in North Kensington. We'll visit Portobello Square, and the Wornington Green Estate, walk along Ladbroke Grove past Canalside House and the Boathouse, continue through the Kensal Gasworks "Opportunity Area" site and finish at Kensal House. Along the way we'll discuss changing ideas about housing, regeneration, planning and community, ending with an exhibition in the Kensal House Residents' Room.
The tour concludes by exploring proposals for the neighbouring Kensal Gasworks site, where around 2,500 new homes are proposed alongside new public spaces and infrastructure. Through maps, models and exhibition material, we'll consider how major regeneration schemes influence affordable housing, heritage, transport, community and the future of North Kensington.