Hampstead Garden Suburb, a fine example of Unwinesque urban design

Several architects worked on Hampstead Garden Suburb. Unwin and Parker worked as architects and planners. Other architects involved in designing this suburb were: Edwin Lutyens, George Lister Sutcliffe and John Soutar. All types of Unwinesque design principles that are such a prominent feature of garden villages and suburbs can be seen in Hampstead Garden Suburb. It is a beautiful place designed with great sense of continuity -a Gesammtkunstwerk- even in the rain...

From the Hampstead Heath Extension - truly a masterful intervention in developing the area for housing- Hampstead Garden Suburb is shown with a clear skyline of spires. The inspiration for this design came from medieval towns in Franconia like Rothenburg.

A feature called "The Wall" separates the common green space of the Hampstead Heath Extension from the garden suburb. Small turrets recreate the feel of medieval fortifications. In fact these are small garden pavilions and border walls from the housing directly behind.

On the axis of the central ensemble a special feature was designed. Here the line of the wall is set back to create a sub space with stairs. This feature is also known as Heathgate. It is one of two "gates" on the edges of the centre, again emulating historic German towns.

Vernacular and modern features are included in the design of this "gate", making it an excellent example of Arts and Crafts design. The corners of the space are emphasised by higher structures clearly inspired by the German Kornscheune (a grain store) or Saltstadl (salt store). An open walkway creates a dry place to sit and look out over the heath. The symmetrical plan is emphasises by two low benches on either side of the opening in the wall.

The street runs from Heathgate in a straight line to the Church of Saint Jude on the hill. The buildings on either side of the street emphasise this central axis and have the same footprint, but the architecture differs to create a more aesthetic streetscape.

Behind Saint Jude a large expanse of grass forms the central space of Hampstead garden Suburb. At the eastern end The Institute was built to provide adult education. It is now the Henrietta Barnett School, a secondary school.

On the other side of Central Square The Free Church stands. This building was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911. He also designed St Jude's (1909). Although both building were quickly consecrated, it  would take decades to finish construction. This spatial set up is very formal and reminiscent of both baroque and 19th-century formal design.

The churches are surrounded by housing. Terraces with brick facades are located on both North Square and South Square. These names are a bit of a misnomer as the church stands at the centre of the space -unbound by buildings along Central Square- with  the housing along one edge.

On the west of the central area a baroque spatial device was used with three roads converging in a central point (the turret on the primary school). Here a view down Middle View with the primary school (the building with the blue turret) dwarfed by the larger building of the former Institute with the large clock tower. Raymond Unwin never adopted the preference of German town planners for continuous informality, but liked to include formal ensembles in his plans.

The housing towards Temple Fortune was designed in a different style with the facades rendered white. The roofs are covered with slates and the buildings feature many Arts and Crafts details such as hanging tiles, protruding upper floors, protruding eaves, window bays and hanging tiles. On this corner -right- a typical Unwinesque angled block comprising of four dwellings.

All family housing has a front and back garden. These gardens edged by a privet hedge, together with the narrow grass verges planted with a mix of trees, create the semirural streetscape.

The fully rendered houses can be rather simple in appearance. When brick detailing is introduced -on the left a brick door surround- the architecture is greatly improved. Another option is to combine brick and render on larger separated surfaces. Narrow footpaths lead to other streets and also give access to the back gardens.

The streets around the centre are rather formally laid out. The basic design is orthogonal, with some of the streets cut short resulting in a cul-de-sac. The result is a streetscape of buildings at right angles, but with tightly controlled short lines of site.

Unwin -like Sitte- pays great attention to the treatment of the corners. Here an excellent example of two symmetrical angled blocks creating a curved space with a small green to form the clear starting point of the street beyond. Such small greens are a common feature in the oldest section of Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Along the edges of the Hampstead Heath Extension several ensembles were used to make the most of this important green space. Most of these ensembles are formal three-winged structures with either terraced housing or apartments around a communal garden or green. Some ensembles are grand and resemble baroque palaces, others were clearly inspired by almshouses. Again a privet hedge is used to demarcate the border between public and private space.