Who is Ernö Goldfinger?
Born in a wealthy Jewish family in Budapest, Ernö Goldfinger studied in Paris, where formed his political views as a communist. In 1934, he moved to England, bringing with him a deep passion and knowledge for the Modernist movement.
2 Willow Road stands as a significant architectural testament to Ernö Goldfinger’s early career and serves as his family’s former residence. The property, situated in Hampstead Heath, was acquired by Goldfinger in 1937. Originally intended as a tower block, the plans faced numerous challenges, including multiple rejections from the local council. Eventually, the concept was approved in a revised form, resulting in the construction of a three-story terrace of houses, loosely inspired by Georgian design. As a result of the project’s reduced scope and scale, Goldfinger had to adapt his ambitious vision, focusing more on interior design aspects to bring his ideas to life.
Modernist movement
The significance of this modernist flat is its design. Goldfinger’s clever design is very attractive by using light. In the entrance, there is an opaque glass wall, displaying various vases and objects. Then the sideboard with slatted sliding door shows Ernö Goldfinger’s detailed thinking and his aesthetic taste. You can find numerous blogs about its inside presentation, especially the spiral staircase with an aesthetic snail shell shape!
Other cabinet, book shelves unit and wardrobe all showed the modernism characteristics – a perfect combination of aesthetics and function. His lovingly designed desk drawers swivel on a half-circle, and you can see the contents of all three at once. Integrated mailbox in the glass brickwork and wall hook design are also still in trendy today, but imagine in 1930s, these innovated design really contributed to the blossoming modern movement!
Architecture Tourism
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Ernö Goldfinger, renowned for his Brutalist-style social housing projects such as Trellick and Balfron Towers in London, managed to strike a balance between his approach to social housing and his ambitious interior design in 2 Willow Road. Despite the contrasting styles, Goldfinger’s ability to harmonize these elements can be attributed to his deep understanding of architectural principles and his adaptability to different contexts.
In 2 Willow Road, Goldfinger’s vision extended beyond the realm of social housing. This residential property showcased his innovative and forward-thinking approach to interior design while still respecting the functionality required for comfortable living. By integrating modernist principles with meticulous attention to detail, Goldfinger created a space that exuded both artistic flair and practicality.
The key to Goldfinger’s success in balancing these seemingly contradictory styles lies in his ability to adapt his design philosophy to suit the specific needs and objectives of each project. While his social housing projects prioritized affordability, functionality, and communal living, 2 Willow Road allowed him greater freedom to explore his artistic sensibilities. Here, he could focus on creating a unique and immersive living experience for the individual occupants, incorporating custom-designed furniture, innovative spatial arrangements, and the use of high-quality materials.
Indeed, not everyone really appreciates historical buildings. Preserving and transforming historical buildings into future tourist attractions requires a multifaceted approach. In particular, those less well-known historical buildings with little significance and value are even demolished in urban development, especially in mega cities’ transformation. Thus, how can we preserve heritage and transform it into future tourism?
Tensions in James Bonds series
Are you familiar with the seventh James Bond novel – Goldfinger? Sounds familiar the name, right? Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond series, held a disdainful opinion of Ernö Goldfinger’s design for 2 Willow Road. He also heard Ernö Goldfinger perhaps as a humourless man, a Marxist, born into a Jewish family in Hungary who took British nationality.
Due to Fleming’s personal distaste for Goldfinger’s political ideologies and architectural designs, he created a fictional character named Auric Goldfinger, who was a short, Jewish Soviet agent within the Bond universe.
After pandemic
In 2022 Spring, my research team and I refocused on 2 Willow Road to examine how the National Trust managed their visitor flow and carrying capacity after the pandemic. One significant change we observed was their opening hours and reservation system. The property is now open on Thursdays and Saturdays (11:00-15:00) from March to October by pre-booked tour only. This limited capacity may be attributed to the small number of staff and volunteers available.
During our interviews, we found that visitors, particularly those with a background in architecture and interior design, expressed great interests in this flat. However, a significant number of interviewees, particularly international tourists, missed the opportunity to visit due to a lack of awareness regarding the change in the opening hours and reservation system.
In addition, photography is not permitted, unlike most other NT sites. However, visitors can still access line drawings of the property on its official website, or a few pictures on its Instagram account.
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