Whittington Estate

The Whittington Estate, also known as Highgate New Town, is a housing estate in the London Borough of Camden, North London, England. It was designed in a modernist style by Peter Tábori and Ken Adie for Camden Council's Architects Department.^[1] Construction work commenced in 1972 and was completed in 1979, five years later than planned.^[2] The estate was designed by Tábori initially as his final year project at the Regents Street Polytechnic under the name Highgate New Town; Sydney Cook, the head of Camden Architects Department went on to commission Tábori to make the estate a reality.^[1]

Whittington Estate
View of Stoneleigh Terrace from Raydon Street
General information
Location	London Borough of Camden
Coordinates	51.5654878°N 0.1419120°W / 51.5654878; -0.1419120
No. of units	273
Construction
Constructed	1972–1979
Architect	Peter Tábori
Style	Modernism, Brutalism

Description

A map of the Whittington Estate

The estate comprises 6 parallel terraces with pedestrian streets running between; it is built primarily out of precast concrete with dark-stained timber used for the doors and windows.^[1] Camden Architects Department are famous for their application of low-rise high-density design for their housing estates under Sydney Cook in the 60s and 70s, the Whittington Estate being a prime example of this design principle.^[2] Flats are arranged in a ziggurat arrangement with south-facing balconies or terraces for each flat, giving each flat access to plentiful natural light.^[1] There is a small park, a sports pitch and a children's playground on the estate grounds as well as numerous planters containing greenery lining the streets.

One of the estate's many cats.

The pedestrian streets provide a safe, walkable area where children are able to play, residents are able to socialise and the estate's many cats are frequently seen.