3 days ago
This $10M brutalist English mansion once held a Cold War-era secret
This recently listed brutalist mansion comes with an explosive history.
The $10 million property in England resides in the footprint of a Cold War-era torpedo testing site.
The listing, held by Daniel Killick of Savills, was first reported by Mansion Global.
12 The mansion was built in the footprint of the domed torpedo testing facility.
Savills
12 A man stands in the domed laboratory atop a mechanical arm, which was used to test underwater explosives.
Alamy Stock Photo
The two-story home makes up part of the blast-proof concrete wall encircling a sunken grassy courtyard, evoking a cross between ancient ruins and a lunar base.
A brutalist modern architectural firm, Norman & Dawbarn, was charged with transforming the historic building into a family residence in the early 2000s.
The resulting crescent-shaped, low-lying abode is light, airy and spacious.
A visitor to the property between the 1950s and 1993 would have been greeted with a far more imposing edifice. The former military testing site was built around a massive circular water tank measuring 151 feet across — about the size of an Olympic swimming pool — with a domed copper roof to deter spies.
Norman & Dawbarn made ample use of materials like concrete, aluminum and copper, according to the brokerage, in an ode to the home's former life. The firm's brutalist style can be found in the property's bold geometric lines, curved walls and utilitarian layout.
12 The home's brutalist design pays homage to the site's militaristic past.
Savills
12 Midcentury-modern touches accent the interiors, including the dynamic front door and metallic stairs.
Savills
12 Natural light flows into the large reception rooms.
Savills
12 The heavy use of concrete and metal gives the interiors a raw quality.
Savills
12 The stark, metallic kitchen.
Savills
12 An upstairs bedroom.
Savills
12 A utilitarian bathroom.
Savills
The first floor features a metallic kitchen and three reception rooms. The open floor plan is bathed in natural light from an abundance of large, rectangular glass windows. Curving metal staircases connect to the second floor, consisting of six bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms.
The 10,113-square-foot residence also features two subterranean levels that haven't been resorted since the Cold War days, Killick told Mansion Global.
Raw remnants of the site, including a section of empty tank and winding tunnels, can be accessed through a basement door, according to a previous Daily Mail profile of the property.
12 One of the unfinished subterranean floors.
Savills
12 The property is surrounded by lush gardens.
Savills
12 The home sits 'in the heart' of London's 1,100-acre Bushy Park, according to Savills.
Savills
'It is a privilege to bring this incredible home to market and to be involved with the sale of one of south west London's most significant houses,' said Killick in a statement.
The 1.3-acre gated property also boasts a rare location. Just past the property's red brick wall is the 1,100-acre Bushy Park, London's second largest royal park.
