Unusual water tank home: east London penthouse conversion on top of iconic Bethnal Green block for sale

A remarkable one-bedroom penthouse in a former water tank at the top of a Brutalist block in east London is for sale for £570,000.

On Grade II-listed Keeling House in Bethnal Green, the rooftop water tank was converted into an apartment by architect Brian Heron and his wife, Ayesha, in 2016. They then sold it the following year and it has now come on the market once again.

Keeling House was designed in 1954 by renowned Modern architect Denys Lasdun, the man responsible for the National Theatre, among several Brutalist icons in London.

Instantly recognisable thanks to its winged design, Keeling House was originally built as council housing, although all of the flats in the 16-storey building are now privately owned.

The water tank penthouse now for sale is arranged over the 17th and 18th floors, with a living room and a kitchen area on the first level and a bedroom and bathroom on the floor above.

The walls and ceiling in the apartment are constructed from Oriented Strand Board (OSB) – panels made from layers of wood flakes which are pressed and glued together.

The floors are polished concrete and all pipe work has been left uncovered intentionally.

The water tank conversion project was shortlisted for a top architecture prize at the RIBA London awards in 2018.

Heron describes the flat's modern functionalist, warehouse-style aesthetic as “likely to have the Marmite effect – you either love it or you don’t.”

“We wanted the bed to face east so we could wake up with the sunrise over London and it seemed a natural progression to have the bathroom facing west,” he told Aucoot, who is selling the property.

“There are not many addresses in London where you can watch the sunset over rooftops from your very own bathtub.”

"Nothing beats the combination of living on the top floor of such an iconic building and waking up every morning to glorious views across London,” said the current owner Jeremy. He bought the apartment from Heron in 2017 but is selling this year in the hope of moving abroad for a complete change of scene.

“It's a truly unique home in an architecturally important building,” said John McDavid of Aucoot.

“It would be fantastic for someone who appreciates good design, doesn't want to live in just another run-of-the-mill white box and who wants amazing views across the city.”

The one-bedroom penthouse apartment is for sale for £570,000, through Aucoot.