Earlier in the year I wrote an entry on Hampstead’s Modernist architecture, and I mentioned the Isokon gallery which opens only in the weekends from March until October.

I finally made another visit to this Grade I listed iconic building on a sunny and warm day (notice the contrast of the photos taken in winter vs summer), and I highly recommend this gallery to all Modernist design and architecture lovers.

The newly furbished gallery is housed inside the old garage, and although it is quite compact in size, it is fascinating and extremely informative. There are photographs and historical facts about the building, its founders and the architect, as well as the renovation process from a derelict building to its current remarkable state (by Avanti Architects). And if you are interested in modernist architecture in Hampstead, there is a map of the area that indicates the locations of these buildings and their famous residents.

The gallery also showcases original furniture from the 1930s including some plywood pieces produced by Jack Pritchard under the Isokon furniture brand. Pritchard collaborated with the building’s famous Bauhaus residents including Walter Gropius (Side Table GT2), Marcel Breuer (Long chair) and Laszlo Moholy Nagy (chair) to produce some iconic pieces for the flats. Simplicity and functionality is crucial in the design of these pieces, and unsurprisingly, they still look timeless 80 years on.

At the entrance, there is a small shop that sells books, designs and souvenir related to Modernism; but best of all, visitors can view a preserved kitchen with original fittings and appliances which reveals how everyday design has changed over time and shaped our lives today.

The Isokon Gallery opens every Saturday and Sunday (11am – 4pm) from March until October. Address: Lawn Road, Hampstead, London, NW3 2XD.