Six Pillars

[Falkor]

I found this photo of "Six Pillars, Sydenham Hill", but cannot place it on the map. Is it another one of those mysterious houses that got demolished? It sure doesn't look like your typical villa.

[Weeble]

No, it's very much still there Falkor.

Next door to Dulwich Wood House.

Your picture shows the rear view and it doesn't look much like that from the front.

It's quite famous! I think it was designed by the chap who did the penguin enclosure at London Zoo.

http://www.timeout.com/london/features/1906.html

[Falkor]

Cheers mate! I didn't know it was a famous building... thanks for the link!

[Savvy]

...it was up for sale recently. Not sure if it still is. If you do a search on findaproperty.com for houses over £1m you might see more pics including some of the inside - very minimalist and looks unlived in.

[Savvy]

... yep, still there £1,350,000. Better pics since I last looked too. Its for sale with Hamptons.

[Thomas]

It certainly looks lovely. However, there's been a "for sale" sign outside for a year, if not longer. I think people wanting to spend £1.35m on a home would rather look at more upmarket areas, and it is next to the Dulwich Wood House pub, so you would have the noise of people in the beer garden to put up with for example. I wonder though if it would be possible to convert the house into flats or are there legal restrictions preventing this?

Also worth looking at this page from August 2005, which reported on the house being put on the market - some useful background information, and a link to an article in the Times:
http://www.sydenham.org.uk/six_pillars.html

I would buy it myself but sadly have been unable to find a mortgage lender willing to give me a mortgage of 40 times my salary!

[simon]

Before the current owner bought it it was on the market £450,000. They have done some work on it but I dont like the colour scheme, too contempory. Im sure there would be restrictions on converting it to flats, and rightly so IMO, its a fine example of Lubetkin's work and should preserved as it was designed.

[mikej]

I see it is now under offer.

[Greg Whitehead]

I think people wanting to spend £1.35m on a home would rather look at more upmarket areas, and it is next to the Dulwich Wood House pub, so you would have the noise of people in the beer garden to put up with for example.

I would have thought that the restrictions on children in the garden and the restricted hours patrons can actually avail themselves of the facility, never mind the great British weather would make this a bit of a moot point Thomas?

That said, you're right in the sense that 1.35M would not get you anything of this calibre in Dulwich Village, Blackheath Village or West Greenwich etc, etc. Frankly I do hope they do not convert it. Dulwich Wood Heights along the road is a poor and cheap conversion of a fine old building. It's amazing how some white paint, some cheap laminate flooring and a few spotlights can allow developers to fleece the young professional couple.. .

[Steve Grindlay]

Frankly I do hope they do not convert it...

This shouldn't happen, as the building is listed grade 2*. This places considerable restrictions on what can happen to it. You can see the details <here>

[Thomas]

Greg, I'm not suggesting that the noise from the Dulwich Wood House would be a particular problem - I just think that many people, especially paying that sort of money, might be put off by being next door to a pub and would not be aware of the restrictions on children and hours you mention. You are absolutely right about the conversion down the road though!