Finsbury Estate is a large-scale housing estate in the Finsbury area of London, England, comprising four purpose-built blocks of flats located on a level site, providing 451 residences. Patrick Coman House and Michael Cliffe House are high-rise blocks of 9 and 25 storeys respectively, while Joseph Trotter House and Charles Townsend House are of four storeys. Amenities include a community centre and library, below-ground car parking, a ball-games area and a playground area. Islington Council received lottery-money funding to develop a new Islington Museum which opened beneath the library on the estate in 2008[1] A former museum at the Islington Town Hall closed on 15 December 2006.[2]
Contents |
Construction is of typical Brutalist style 'mixed development' of the High Modern period. Through the configuration of the four blocks, two large open spaces have been created, characterized by two predominant inward-looking convex spaces defined by the surrounding blocks of flats. Main entrances to the estate are on St John Street, where the Islington Library is located, and on Skinner Street to the south-west.
Michael Cliffe House was a venue for suicide by jumping[3] until access to high open balconies was restricted.[4]