£1,800,000
(£1,438/sq. ft)
3 bed flat for saleShakespeare Tower III, London EC2Y
3 beds
2 baths
1 reception
1,252 sq. ft
EPC Rating: C
Just added
Leasehold
About this property
This impeccable ‘Type 8C’ apartment is set on the 32nd floor of Shakespeare Tower, occupying a central position in Chamberlin, Powell and Bon's iconic Barbican Estate. Open-plan living spaces and three double bedrooms are embraced by a wrap-around balcony with bird's eye views of the city. Under current ownership, contemporary interventions that honour the building’s original character have been implemented, including bespoke joinery and a pared-back kitchen designed by Uncommon Projects.
The Estate
Chamberlin, Powell and Bon designed the Barbican Estate after their success with the neighbouring Golden Lane Estate. Built to replace buildings destroyed by a night of bombing in December 1940, the Barbican is now lauded as a masterpiece of brutalist architecture. For more information, see the History section below.
The Building
Shakespeare Tower is one of three within The Barbican Estate, along with Cromwell and Lauderdale. Once one of the tallest residential towers in Europe, it occupies a central yet tranquil position, away from the surrounding road and to the west of Barbican Art Centre. Below penthouse level, each floor contains three flats and three lifts, ordered via a central panel and arranged around a triangular lobby area with vivid orange carpet underfoot. The building is characterised by its polygonal shape, upswept balconies and jagged swept tops. Pevsner describes these towers as ‘unmistakable silhouettes prominent in long views’.
The Tour
There are two points of access to Shakespeare Tower: One at the south podium level from Defoe Place, and another at the north podium level. Each floor of the building has three apartments arranged around a triangular lobby. A lift ascends to the 32nd floor private entrance.
The front door opens to a hallway which in turn leads to the open-plan living/dining room and the kitchen. Original built-in cupboards in the hallway have been retained and doorways throughout the apartment have been re-instated with floor-to-ceiling height.
The living/dining room occupies one side of the plan, flooded with light pouring from tall hardwood-framed windows and glazed doors that open to the wraparound balcony. While the room currently adopts an open-plan layout, the L-shaped plan delineates distinct zones for living and dining. Warmly-toned planes of walnut in the dining room echo the building’s original material palette.
The kitchen can be accessed from two sides, via the hallway and the living space. A bespoke kitchen, designed by Uncommon Projects, has thoughtful plywood detailing and white coloured cabinets topped with a Corian work surface, selected to evoke the character of the original Barbican kitchen. Integrated appliances include an oven, microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher, all from Miele, as well as a four-ring induction hob from Bora, a stainless steel sink from Franke, and a boiling water tap from Quooker. Open plywood shelves lined with cork are ideal for keeping a library of recipe books.
Arranged in a linear fashion along one side of the plan are three double-bedrooms, all with expansive windows and glazed doors framing breathtaking city views. One bedroom is used by the current owners as an office, fitted with built-in bookshelves alongside original storage cupboards.
The primary bedroom has a row of built-in wardrobes and an ensuite shower room. There is another bathroom, with a rain-style shower over a bathtub, accessed from the hallway.
Outdoor Space
A north-west facing balcony wraps two sides of the apartment, offering vantage points towards Alexandra Palace, Hampstead Heath, St Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern and the Houses of Parliament. In the evenings, the balcony provides a front-row view of sunsets that bathe the apartment in warm, golden light. The balcony is defined by heavy, curved walls of pick-hammered béton brut concrete that extend its full length, expressing the tower’s distinctive external form.
One of the original intents of the Barbican plan was to provide an enclosed green sanctuary for those living on the estate. As a result, residents have access to several private and public gardens. The private gardens extend to around two and a half acres and encompass expansive lawns, various species of mature trees, and textural borders with native and exotic species. There are also dedicated areas for children's play.
The Area
The Barbican Centre is on the doorstep and home to a theatre, an art gallery, a concert venue, cinemas, and several bars and cafés. The City of London has also recently appointed Allies and Morrison Architects and Asif Khan Studio to deliver a multi-million-pound renewal of the Barbican Centre.
The Centre forms a key part of the ‘Culture Mile’, the City of London’s cultural district stretching from Farringdon to Moorgate. The ‘Cultural Mile’ includes also the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Museum of London. It provides a vibrant and creative area with a diverse and international cultural programme of concerts, events, and performances.
The apartment is near an excellent selection of pubs and restaurants, including the nearby Smithfield Market, St. John, Luca, The Quality Chop House, Brutto, Cloth and Exmouth Market. Whitecross Street is nearby and hosts a food market every weekday. St Paul’s Cathedral, the River Thames, the South Bank and Tate Modern are all close by.
Transport links are excellent, with Underground stations at nearby Barbican (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines), Old Street (Northern Line), and Moorgate (Northern, Hammersmith & City, Circle and Metropolitan Lines). Farringdon Station offers a host of Underground lines (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Elizabeth Lines) as well as Thameslink services to Gatwick Airport, Brighton and Bedford.
Tenure: Leasehold / Lease Length: Approx. 174 years remaining / Service Charge: Approx. £12,172 per annum (this includes heating, lift maintenance, external window cleaning, 24/7 concierge service, building insurance, cleaning and maintenance of the communal gardens and grounds) / Council Tax Band: G (City of London)
The Estate
Chamberlin, Powell and Bon designed the Barbican Estate after their success with the neighbouring Golden Lane Estate. Built to replace buildings destroyed by a night of bombing in December 1940, the Barbican is now lauded as a masterpiece of brutalist architecture. For more information, see the History section below.
The Building
Shakespeare Tower is one of three within The Barbican Estate, along with Cromwell and Lauderdale. Once one of the tallest residential towers in Europe, it occupies a central yet tranquil position, away from the surrounding road and to the west of Barbican Art Centre. Below penthouse level, each floor contains three flats and three lifts, ordered via a central panel and arranged around a triangular lobby area with vivid orange carpet underfoot. The building is characterised by its polygonal shape, upswept balconies and jagged swept tops. Pevsner describes these towers as ‘unmistakable silhouettes prominent in long views’.
The Tour
There are two points of access to Shakespeare Tower: One at the south podium level from Defoe Place, and another at the north podium level. Each floor of the building has three apartments arranged around a triangular lobby. A lift ascends to the 32nd floor private entrance.
The front door opens to a hallway which in turn leads to the open-plan living/dining room and the kitchen. Original built-in cupboards in the hallway have been retained and doorways throughout the apartment have been re-instated with floor-to-ceiling height.
The living/dining room occupies one side of the plan, flooded with light pouring from tall hardwood-framed windows and glazed doors that open to the wraparound balcony. While the room currently adopts an open-plan layout, the L-shaped plan delineates distinct zones for living and dining. Warmly-toned planes of walnut in the dining room echo the building’s original material palette.
The kitchen can be accessed from two sides, via the hallway and the living space. A bespoke kitchen, designed by Uncommon Projects, has thoughtful plywood detailing and white coloured cabinets topped with a Corian work surface, selected to evoke the character of the original Barbican kitchen. Integrated appliances include an oven, microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher, all from Miele, as well as a four-ring induction hob from Bora, a stainless steel sink from Franke, and a boiling water tap from Quooker. Open plywood shelves lined with cork are ideal for keeping a library of recipe books.
Arranged in a linear fashion along one side of the plan are three double-bedrooms, all with expansive windows and glazed doors framing breathtaking city views. One bedroom is used by the current owners as an office, fitted with built-in bookshelves alongside original storage cupboards.
The primary bedroom has a row of built-in wardrobes and an ensuite shower room. There is another bathroom, with a rain-style shower over a bathtub, accessed from the hallway.
Outdoor Space
A north-west facing balcony wraps two sides of the apartment, offering vantage points towards Alexandra Palace, Hampstead Heath, St Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern and the Houses of Parliament. In the evenings, the balcony provides a front-row view of sunsets that bathe the apartment in warm, golden light. The balcony is defined by heavy, curved walls of pick-hammered béton brut concrete that extend its full length, expressing the tower’s distinctive external form.
One of the original intents of the Barbican plan was to provide an enclosed green sanctuary for those living on the estate. As a result, residents have access to several private and public gardens. The private gardens extend to around two and a half acres and encompass expansive lawns, various species of mature trees, and textural borders with native and exotic species. There are also dedicated areas for children's play.
The Area
The Barbican Centre is on the doorstep and home to a theatre, an art gallery, a concert venue, cinemas, and several bars and cafés. The City of London has also recently appointed Allies and Morrison Architects and Asif Khan Studio to deliver a multi-million-pound renewal of the Barbican Centre.
The Centre forms a key part of the ‘Culture Mile’, the City of London’s cultural district stretching from Farringdon to Moorgate. The ‘Cultural Mile’ includes also the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Museum of London. It provides a vibrant and creative area with a diverse and international cultural programme of concerts, events, and performances.
The apartment is near an excellent selection of pubs and restaurants, including the nearby Smithfield Market, St. John, Luca, The Quality Chop House, Brutto, Cloth and Exmouth Market. Whitecross Street is nearby and hosts a food market every weekday. St Paul’s Cathedral, the River Thames, the South Bank and Tate Modern are all close by.
Transport links are excellent, with Underground stations at nearby Barbican (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines), Old Street (Northern Line), and Moorgate (Northern, Hammersmith & City, Circle and Metropolitan Lines). Farringdon Station offers a host of Underground lines (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Elizabeth Lines) as well as Thameslink services to Gatwick Airport, Brighton and Bedford.
Tenure: Leasehold / Lease Length: Approx. 174 years remaining / Service Charge: Approx. £12,172 per annum (this includes heating, lift maintenance, external window cleaning, 24/7 concierge service, building insurance, cleaning and maintenance of the communal gardens and grounds) / Council Tax Band: G (City of London)
More information
Tenure
Leasehold (Ask agent)
Service charge
Council tax band
G
Ground rent
Ground rent date of next review
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