As soaring inflation and increased interest rates intensify due to the looming recession, the UK housing market is said to ‘cool down’ this year — property prices are predicted to fall between 5% and 12%, according to industry experts.
How London’s property market will be impacted, however, remains to be seen. The pandemic-fuelled dream of leaving the city for more rural idylls appears to be over for the majority, with Rightmove reporting London regained its crown as the ‘top searched location’ for buyers in December 2022, up 9% on the previous year.
Here are six architect-designed homes on the market for under £650,000 in London right now.
A modern eco home by Bill Dunster/ZEDfactory
One bedroom; £385,000 via The Modern House
Designed by architect Bill Dunster, this light-soaked one-bedroom home is located in the heart of the acclaimed BedZed estate in the London suburb of Hackbridge – the UK’s first major zero-carbon community. Dunster’s practice ZEDfactory is a leader in zero-carbon design, crafting homes with a sustainable stance. Characterised by its beautifully ageing larch cladding, warming red brick and distinctive wind cowls on the roofs, this house offers open-plan living at its (environmentally) finest.
Westbourne Drive by Frame Architects
Two bedrooms; £635,000 via Mundays
Frame Architects brings warehouse-style living to a tranquil pocket of South London with this live/work Westbourne Drive property. The two-bedroom ground-floor apartment features a cool, contemporary ‘city’ garden, high ceilings, large Crittall windows and doors, and built-in closets — along with a custom-made floating cabinet in the bathroom, handcrafted by a local carpenter.
Tarranbrae by Peter Twining
1 bedroom; £375,000 via Inigo
This one-bedroom apartment in the art deco Tarranbrae building in London’s Brondesbury Park blends modernism and Ottoman architecture. Mosaic artist Peter Twining restored the period details in his renowned irreverent fashion: expect creative combinations of colours and materials used throughout the space.
An arty Deptford apartment by Pocket Living
Two bedrooms; £550,000 via Mrs & Mrs Smith
A stone’s throw from Deptford’s thriving art scene, this two-bedroom flat in Deptford was designed by Pocket Living alongside award-winning architects RCKa. It is located on the top floor of a five-story building and offers unparalleled views of the London skyline, as well as an open kitchen, living and dining room, and two bedrooms. For those with a green thumb, there’s also a charming ‘winter garden’ accessed through the natural light-filled living room.
Gospel Oak apartment by Karakusevic Carson
One bedroom; £500,000 via The Modern House
Situated on the third floor of a building by Karakusevic Carson Architects in Gospel Oak, this sun-drenched one-bedroom apartment is compact but modern. The building was commissioned by Camden Council for its Camden Collection buildings and was named Housing Project of the Year in 2016. This apartment boasts a sheltered private balcony, as well as access to a large communal roof terrace on the fifth floor, making it ideal for those who crave outside accessibility in London.
