Brutalist beauty: rare modernist 'elephant house' with curved walls and a library in the gantry for sale in Surrey

The quirky property in Frimley was designed in the Sixties by a renowned architect and is for sale for the first time in 18 years.
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Jess Denham29 September 2017

Buyers with a penchant for modernist architecture will love this three-bedroom brutalist beauty hidden in unassuming Frimley, Surrey.

The characterful, semi-detached townhouse, listed for sale for £365,000, sits within a Sixties cul-de-sac development of 32 homes, which was built as part of a drive to provide affordable housing in Greater London and the Home Counties.

Nicknamed the “Elephant Houses” because of their colouring and tube-shaped features, the homes are grouped in eight blocks of four and were built in pale grey brick in homage to the picture-perfect Saint Peter’s Church opposite.

The quirky properties were designed by renowned architect Lawrence Abbott who, until recently, was a senior director at the Richard Rogers Partnership, the firm behind Lloyd’s of London and the Millennium Dome.

Its highlights include large quirkily-shaped double-glazed windows, curved walls, numerous nooks for displaying favourite items and a gantry on the first floor that is currently being used as a bookcase.

The playful interiors feature pops of colour throughout, along with a handful of retro touches, from coloured stairs to retro statement mirrors and clocks.

Unique: this bookcase with a difference is a great use of the first-floor gantry

The entrance hall leads into a large main living area with wood laminate flooring and garden views. The refitted kitchen/diner with its exposed floor boards, solid bamboo work surfaces and built-in mod-cons is upstairs, along with a stylish bathroom with a white suite, fully-tiled walls and floor and a heated towel rail ready for cosy autumn pamper sessions.

Colour pop: the current owner has added retro touches to the interiors

Two double bedrooms with built-in wardrobes and a third single bedroom or study are on the second floor while outside is a private south-facing patio garden that easily fits a table and chairs, lovingly-maintained communal grounds, resident parking and a garage.

Let there be light: natural light floods the property throughout thanks to large windows

Greg Rowse, manager at Greg James estate agents who are marketing the property says: “These properties appeal as they are individual, unique, and have history, but equally they make lovely homes. People love the design and how the space works, while having a garage offers further parking and storage. These homes are also solid and well built, unlike many of the thin-walled modern houses.”

The current owner has “absolutely loved” living in the house for the past 18 years but is now moving out of the area with work. There has been plenty of interest since it was listed earlier this month, including from people merely fascinated by its history and keen to have a nosey inside.

The house is moments from Frimley High Street with its supermarkets, shops and restaurants. Frimley Lodge Park is close by as is the open Surrey and Hampshire countryside.

There is a small station in Frimley but as no direct trains to London pass through it, most commuters drive five minutes to Farnborough station for the three trains an hour that reach London Waterloo in 35 minutes. Driving is also easy as the nearby M3 leads straight to the M25, with the city reachable in under an hour and a half.

Call Greg James estate agents on 01252 915 122 for more details.