Trellick Tower, London , July 2008

Downfallen · Jul 24, 2008

Site:
Trellick Tower, London
Explorer:
Downfallen
Height:
322ft ( 394 to the top of the comms mast)
Status:
Completed
History:
Designed by architect Erno Goldfinger after a commission from the Greater London Council in 1966. When it was completed in 1972 it was ,and remains one of the countries best examples of brutalist architecture.The design was based on another Goldfinger creation, the slightly smaller Balfron Tower...its sister building.
The tower contains 217 flats which sell for between Ã‚Â£250K to Ã‚Â£465K.
The Tower and area suffered from an appalling crime record for rapes , muggings and robbery in the late 70's and 80's making it a completely undesirable location. but its all been turned around since and now and has become a local cult landmark and a desirable place to live.
The plant room on the top used oil to provide some power and heating to the building, but following the oil crisis in the 70's it was shutdown and remains obsolete. A planning aplication to make it into a penthouse apartment was turned down.

Future:
It was awarded Grade II listed status in 1998 and has transmission masts for various radio ( including emergency network) and mobile signals.
Its not going anywhere, anytime soon.
But there are various redevelopment projects in the surrounding estate being undertaken

***

"Good things come...to he who waits"

Now I like the modern towers, dont get me wrong.
But ....there's something about these brutalist towers that pulls me in like a magnet. There big, blocky ,ugly and well....brutal ,and in most other cities are being taken down like they are going out of fashion.. :rolleyes:

But I love 'em...cant get enough of em....the bigger, the uglier...the better !

This was one of my first ever targets in London , and Ive tried on more than a couple of occasions to get in from the street....and have been thwarted everytime....but I kept coming back.
And later , rather than sooner after a chance observation, I was rewarded with a route to the roof.

There's not a great deal to see from/on this one....but its one of my proudest ones, because its one I really wanted to get on top of....
Having a beautiful moonlit night, just made it even better

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The roof...not alot up here, its as bare as it gets.