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Completed in 1938, Oslo Court is an example of Streamline Moderne architecture, designed by Robert Atkinson. It is a Grade II listed building, listed on The National Heritage List for England (hosted by Historic England)
Oslo Court, Non Civil Parish - 1357293 | Historic England
Below is a summary of the text from the Grade II listing describing Oslo Court:
Oslo Court is a Block of flats built in 1937-38 by Robert Atkinson. It is made of reinforced concrete and brick infill and cladding with a flat terrace roof. It is a long L-plan block in the International Modern style.
It was planned on a deep narrow site between Charlbert and Culworth Streets with a narrow 2-bay end to Prince Albert Road and Regent's Park to south. The orientation and depth of the site govern ingenious planning, with side elevations staggered at an angle so that each flat has a private theatre box-like balcony off the return of its main window, benefitting from the view and the same time functionally expressing the cantilevered structure with the concrete exposed in the lintel and stepped balcony base, and the cladding role of the brickwork subtly indicated by the regular course on the cantilever.
The building has 7 storeys with 9- and 7-bay sides. The main entrance in splayed at an angle to the building and to Charlbert Street, with a fully glazed lift-stair tower finished with a cantilevered canopy above the roof terrace. There are secondary entrances in the 2nd and 3rd bays on Culworth and Charlbert Streets respectively (diagonally linked internally) with concrete oculi above, lighting the stairs. Crittal metal casements, bent around corner to Prince Albert Road end.
Listing NGR: TQ2724583175
Three articles about the construction and design of Oslo Court were also published in 1938:
1. The Architectural Review, vol. 83, 1938.
2. The Builder 1938 Apr. 15, p. 739
3. Architect & Building News1938 May 20, p. 210
The publications are held in the RIBA library archives https://www.riba.org/explore/riba-collections/riba-library/ and digital PDF copies are linked here
The photographs on this page are from these three articles, shared with the generous consent of the RIBA library.
Looking at these photographs, the contrast with nearby structures highlights the building's visionary nature. The vintage cars and decor anchor the setting in the 1930s but the facade is far ahead of its time, and could easily be mistaken for a 1960s creation
... and in November 1963 with Roger Moore as The Saint
at 25.32 mins and 36.25 mins
Oslo Court in 1938
History of Oslo Court
Photos
Exterior 1938
Interior and Plans 1938
Research the history of Oslo Court
If you are interested in researching the history of Oslo Court with us please contact us. We are currently looking for original plans and articles
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