Elm Park Court: American style decorative architecture

This large oriental style gate forms the main entrance to the secluded world of the Elm Park Court. Behind it one catches a glimpse of the large apartment blocks that make up this Garden Court (or Gartenhof).

The side entrance (right) is located on West End Lane and consists of a small version of the large oriental gate on the main entrance. Behind it a path leads along courtyard gardens and garages. The design of the backside of the apartment blocks (left) is consistent with the front facades, but less ornamental and more practical. Only look at the downpipes in the striking green colour.

The three linked apartment blocks are arranged around one large park like courtyard garden, that is now dominated by a large car park. On the sides there are still large expanses of lawn with trees. The development was aimed at car users (something that was fast developing in the 1930s), hence the lockup garages behind the apartment blocks. A central parking lot that emphasizes the central axis seems to go beyond what was aimed for here.

The windows are all executed in metal painted in a bottle green colour. The same colour is used to pick up building details, for instance the supports of the balconies. The chimneys form part of the overall design. They have a distinct  cubist shape. Also note the black trim at the foot of the white facade. The balconies provide rhythm and add a secondary shapely element with their distinct design. The windows on each storey have been delicately emphasized by a thin protruding band in the facade.

The apartment blocks cradle the central courtyard and also maximize the use of the available space for dwellings with their kinked outline. This way the complex

The entrances have been emphasized by extending the black bottom trim as a door surround and by the long windows that cut through the dominant horizontal lines of the architecture by adding a distinct vertical line. Small covered alleyways link up the courtyard gardens on either side of the apartment buildings.

These oriental gates link the apartment blocks forming a large secluded residential complex. These gates that link the back block to the two side blocks create an enormous sense of depth. At the far end one can see one of the garages that are located on the edges of this Gartenhof.

There is great consistency in the design. The whole feel is thoroughly modern, airy and light. The introduction of an oriental style element sets this complex in Pinner apart from similar continental projects in de cubist modernist style. Ornament is added similar to the American Decorative architecture and doesn't merely rely on constructive elements such as windows, railings, doorframes, facades and so on.

Pinner Court is very similar in appearance to Elm Park Court. These two L-shaped apartment blocks are set back from the road. The less ornate buildings are surrounded by private park-like gardens.

These details show that Pinner Court is much more akin to continental modernism than Elm Park Court. Especially the treatment of windows and balconies is very reminiscent New Objective architecture. The hipped roofs and ornamental chimneys connect this complex to the decorative tradition so well expressed by Elm Park Court.

Capel Gardens adjacent to Pinner Court is a similar project, but with a more open structure of 4 apartment blocks. The architecture is equal to that of Pinner Court. The decorative entrances with their half-hipped roofs are clearly visible in this picture.