This two-bedroom apartment with a large private balcony is positioned on the first floor of the Amin Taha-designed Spruce Apartments. Exceptionally well-located, the distinctive building sits between Stoke Newington and Dalston and has featured extensively in the design press for its innovative use of materials. This apartment reaches over 750 sq ft internally, with creatively designed and flexible south-facing living spaces.

The Building

Spruce Apartments was completed in 2016. The building has featured in The Architects’ Journal, Domus and Dezeen, and was shortlisted for the Stirling prize. In 2017, it won both a RIBA London Award and a RIBA National Award.

The architect's select palette of natural wood and raw brick runs throughout, from the well-maintained communal areas to the interiors. Taha explains that when "architectural form results from material properties ... buildings can teach people something by simply looking like what they are made of". The building was constructed using Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), which provides a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel, acting as both structure and internal finish. Employing CLT also eradicates the necessity for finishing materials like plasterboard, suspended ceilings, cornicing and skirting, greatly reducing the embodied carbon of the building.

The Tour 

The building is set in a conservation area and nestled between a Victorian townhouse and a red-brick Edwardian school. The exterior, with its brick cladding, enormous windows and jutting wicker balconies, offers an intriguing transition between its neighbours. According to the architect, "Its form echoes the slender gables of the school and standalone presence of the neighbouring villa."

The apartment is located on the first floor and is brilliantly bright care of floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the living space with light and provide access to the balcony. Set to one side, the open-plan kitchen has been executed with Corian worktops and integrated Smeg appliances. Timber walls create a wonderful feeling of warmth, cocooning the space and adding textural depth to the scheme.

The two double bedrooms are quietly positioned at the rear of the plan, one with an en suite wet room. Both have built-in wardrobes for storage, neatly concealed within sheets of timber that render them almost invisible. In the hall is a large bathroom, a utility cupboard and a handy corner conceived as an office area.

There is secure bicycle storage provided at the front of the building.

Outdoor Space

The balcony makes an excellent spot for a morning coffee. It is screened from the road with woven wicker that ensures privacy.

The Area

Barrett’s Grove is quietly located within short walking distance of the shops, restaurants and bars of Stoke Newington, Dalston and London Fields. There are plenty of restaurants and bars on Stoke Newington Road and Kingsland High Street further down, home to institutions such as Rio Cinema and much-loved local spots such as The Dusty Knuckle and Brilliant Corners. Stoke Newington Church Street, a short walk to the north, has some excellent places to eat and drink, as does Newington Green to the west.

Positioned for the best of east London, the green spaces of Hackney Downs, Clissold Park and London Fields are all close at hand, as are the wild open spaces of Hackney & Walthamstow Marshes.

For more of our recommendations in the area, see our residents' guide.

Stations at Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction (within a 10-minute walk) run Overground trains to Highbury & Islington, Shoreditch High Street and Stratford. Rectory Road and Hackney Downs stations are also close by and run trains to Liverpool Street in around 15 minutes.

Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: Approx. 117 years remaining
Service Charge: Approx. £3,500 per annum
Ground Rent: Approx. £200 per annum
Council Tax Band: D