Where: 2 Willow Road NW3 1TH
The residence at 2 Willow Road is a must-visit for fans of interior design. Created by architect Erno Goldfinger, who is probably best known for the brutalist Trellick Tower in West London, he designed it in the 1930s to serve as a family home to share with his wife and two children, as well as to showcase his modernist style. The split-storey flat has been perfectly preserved and is a fascinating snapshot in time: the couple's books, original artworks by friends like Henry Moore and Max Ernst, the children's toys and Goldfinger's work materials are all here, as if the family were to return any minute.
Perhaps most impressive are Goldfinger's hacks, such as the 'stage' in the living area the children loved to play on which is built over storage space to keep his larger paper designs, or sliding doors that merge the two main living areas for parties, as the Goldfingers liked to entertain. Now owned by the National Trust, knowledgeable volunteers are on hand to explain the intricacies of Goldfinger's home and life.
