Now this place is cool...
One of Fulham’s truly iconic buildings, the former HQ of the North Thames Gas Board that was given considerable - and lasting - appeal by the work of the famous artist who spruced it up a good deal.
The Piper Building is named after the celebrated British mid 20th century artist John Piper. Built in the 1950’s for the gas board, Piper was commissioned in 1961-62 to produce the colourful fibreglass artwork on the outside, known as the ‘Spirit of Energy’. Piper was primarily a painter but also worked with craftspeople on public commissions; this was his second largest, after the Baptistry window at Coventry Cathedral.
The panels are attached to the former exhibition block, which is now listed as Grade II (the apartment building is unlisted) a two-storey white-rendered building, that originally housed conference rooms and an exhibition space raised on slim columns above an entrance hall and showroom beneath, which now serves as an impressive lobby entrance to the Piper residential building.
They’re the only known example of a permanent outdoor artwork in John Piper’s large and diverse body of work.
The building was converted in the 90’s for residential use and has over the years become home to an eclectic mix of professionals and creatives, couples and families, attracted to the flexibility and range of spaces available
And now the distinctive penthouse is available which is certain to be generate a lot of interest.
The Penthouse at the Piper Building occupies over 8000 sq. ft and offers an extraordinary space for any owner to take this lateral footprint to create an apartment that can offer unparalleled space. There are no internal structural walls.
The current layout is arranged with 4 bedrooms along with two self-contained apartments and a magnificent ‘ballroom’ that is 50 ft long. A roof top studio room with access to terraces that afford 360-degree views over the Thames and London reaching as far as the Shard, to the east, Wembley to the north, Richmond to the west and Crystal Palace to the south.
Lindsay Cuthill, co-founder of Blue Book Agency comments, “The Piper Building penthouse is a rare chance to own a slice of London’s mid-century architectural heritage. This exceptional space, with its distinctive character and boundless adaptability, will appeal to anyone drawn to individuality and scale.
“John Piper’s vibrant Spirit of Energy panels—attached to the building’s Grade II listed exhibition block—are his only permanent outdoor artwork, adding charm and artistic legacy to the building with their striking industrial design.
“Inside, the penthouse’s open-plan layout includes an impressive 50 ft ballroom and a rooftop studio, perfect for an artist to create and exhibit their work, but the pièce de résistance is the sweeping 360-degree view over London from the terrace on the roof. From the Shard to Crystal Palace, these views become a living canvas, evolving through the day and seasons. For the next owner, this space offers not just expansive luxury but an extraordinary connection to a piece of British art history in an unmistakably unique home.”
