I have been a resident of West London’s world famous Trellick Tower resident since 2014 and feel very fortunate to call it home and I am also pretty confident that I am the only acupuncturist practicing in this wonderful and unique building.
There are many aspects of the building I appreciate and one such thing is the sheer sturdiness of the structure – my home is surrounded by reinforced concrete which leads me to never ever hearing my neighbours. Equally, when I come to play my music, the acoustics are second-to-none and I harbour no concerns about being a nuisance to those around me.
Trellick Tower was completed in 1972, and was designed by the architect Erno Goldfinger. He was a Hungarian Jew who prior to World War II, studied in Paris under Le Corbusier, the ‘father of modernism’. With the threat of a Nazi invasion in 1939, he suitably fled France and came to London.
Once here, Goldfinger gained acclaim as a modernist architect in his own right and in 1963 started work on the first of his two famous residential high rises: Balfron Tower in Poplar, east London.
Upon completed, Goldfinger and his wife lived in Balfron Tower for a couple of months as a means of gauging how his design worked in practicality, and how it might be further improved. Such attention to detail seems typical of Goldfinger, and he took what he had gleaned into his design for Trellick Tower which he began work on in 1967.
One of Le Corbusier’s philosophies for high-rise living was the creation of ‘streets in the sky’ and the success of this concept is very evident in Trellick Tower. There are seventeen flats along my particular corridor and a sense of community is very palpable, with neighbours being generous with their smiles and also looking out for one another.
Another asset to living in a high-rise is the light that’s on offer. My flat is close to the top of the building and the light that permeates my home during the daytime is incredibly uplifting, whilst the expansive views naturally impress.
Due to all these factors, I find treating in my home to be very rewarding and my acupuncture patients tell me they find coming for a treatment an enriching experience as well.
Oh, and did I mention the views from my treatment room? The near 360 degree views of London from the 31st floor are spectacular!
