One of the most amusing sights in London, which absolutely fascinates tourists, is the so-called Thin Dwelling House in South Kensington. This three-storey building, which resembles a gingerbread house, is only two metres wide from the front to the back wall. “How, do people still live here?” – thinks the tourist. Yes, they do. What’s more: there is a queue for the flats in the House of the Fine. From the outside, one would think that a person entering this strange house should immediately bump into its back wall. In reality, this is an architectural deception, as the building is actually triangular in shape.
Such architectural diversions are not uncommon in Europe. Still, London’s Thin House is incredibly popular with travellers.
Description
The building has three floors and the exterior resembles a gingerbread house. The building is only 2 metres wide from the front to the back wall.
Due to the wedge shape of the house, the floors that make up the house have a non-standard layout, and the furniture has to be chosen out of the box. The architectural decision was dictated, of course, not so much by a desire to stand out as by a hard necessity: the house had to be squeezed into a small plot, and there is a metro line right behind it.
If you look at it from the side, it gives the impression that you will immediately bump into a wall as you enter the building. But don’t believe your eyes! This is just an architectural deception of vision. Despite this, the structure has become one of London’s landmarks and attracts many tourists every day. The reason for this architectural trick is that South Kensington tube station has a train line only a dozen metres from the house. The flats in the building are popular with Londoners, and the rented flats are never empty.
It should be noted that, in the harsh conditions of the densely built-up modern metropolis, the demand for this type of atypical housing is growing. The house is literally sandwiched between two other buildings and stands out only because of its blue colour.
The ground floor currently houses the kitchen and dining room, while the ground floor houses the entrance hall, the first floor the bedroom, the study and the terrace. The third floor is occupied by a bathroom with bathtub and shower, while the fourth floor houses another bedroom with a full width double bed. A spiral staircase leads to the first floor and a trapdoor in the floor leads to the upper bedroom.
The Flatiron building in the United States, the Pancake House in Japan and the 37-storey Gateway skyscraper in Singapore are also considered super-thin.
Conclution
Most recently, the slender house was put up for sale for 950,000 pounds ($1.3 million).
The house is worth what it costs, Dawn told David Myers, a Winkworth estate agent handling the sale. The estate agent points to the historic value of the property. The unusual lot would suit a single person or young couple, Myers said.
The property description on the estate agent’s website notes that the space in the narrow house is arranged as comfortably as on an expensive yacht. The property cites antique parquet flooring, original bathroom décor, quality engineering, a private courtyard and a private roof terrace as assets.
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