Residential tower block in London, England
Perronet House is an 11-storey residential council tower block adjacent to the northern roundabout of the Elephant and Castle, in London.
Design and layout
In 1969 Sir Roger Walters was commissioned by the Greater London Council to design a high density block of social housing to complement the already completed high rise buildings of commercial, educational and governmental establishments in the Elephant and Castle Comprehensive Development Area on what was then known as Site 4.[1] The building was completed in May 1970 and won a commendation in the 1971 Good Design In Housing awards.[2]
It is a building of fascinating quirks, both structurally and socially. Flats are situated on a raised "P" (for PODIUM) level, and on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th floor. The P level flats are a later 1980s addition but all the flats above it are split level scissor section flats, arranged over three primary floors and wrapped around a central communal corridor. This provides each flat with a dual aspect unobstructed by external corridors more usually found on high rise social housing in the area.
In 2020, the area of the building hold garages was remodelled by the Council to create Elephant Arcade, a series of small business units destined to rehome 11 traders dislodged by the demolition of the nearby shopping centre.[3]
Tenant management
Perronet House set itself up as a Tenant Managed Organisation (TMO) under the UK's 'Right to Manage' legislation for council houses. However it was Southwark's first TMO to fail and management of the block returned to the council in 2004.[4] In April 2012 a new Tenants and Residents Association was formed.
