★★★★★ 5.0
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Kensington Town Hall
This concrete fortress was cursed! The famous architect Sir Basil Spence died exactly 10 days before his Brutalist masterpiece was finished in 1976 - he never got to see Princess Anne officially open it. But here's the coolest secret: hidden in the inner courtyard grows a giant redwood tree that Winston Churchill's wife planted way back in 1967, before this building even existed! The whole thing cost 11.6 million pounds - that's like buying 2,320 fancy sports cars! Two grand old houses called Niddry Lodge and the Red House were knocked down to make room for this angular concrete giant. Can you spot that red tree towering above the brutal grey walls?
Did You Know?
- The Kensington Town Hall was inaugurated in 1977, just days after the death of its architect, Sir Basil Spence, marking it as one of the last significant Brutalist buildings in London and a poignant tribute to his legacy.
- Inside the Town Hall, there is a small garden planted in memory of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, created from a former ornamental pool beneath the council chamber—a hidden green oasis with royal connections that few visitors know about.
- In June 2017, the Town Hall became the site of a dramatic protest when hundreds of demonstrators, including singer Lily Allen, entered the building demanding justice after the Grenfell Tower fire, highlighting its role as a focal point for community action and civic engagement.