Property of the Week: Leinster Gardens, the HQ of Andreas Papadakis’ publishing house Academy Editions goes on sale
Faithful followers of fashion in interior design and architecture will have heard of Academy Editions.
Leinster Gardens, Bayswater, £7.95m
Back in the 1970s, it published over a thousand influential books and magazines dedicated to architecture and the decorative arts, drawing artists like Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney and Charles Jencks to the Bayswater headquarters of the independent publishing house. Many of the world’s most famous architects, from Daniel Libeskind to Edwin Lutyens, passed through those doors to feature in its ‘Architectural Monographs’ series.
And now, that very building is on sale. Having served as the office and home of founder Andreas Papadakis, the seven bedroom property is on the market for £7.95m.
One of the living rooms with parquet flooring
The six-storey house in Leinster Gardens was established as the home of Academy Editions in 1974 and became a post-modernist landmark due to its exuberant colour scheme designed by architect Sir Terry Farrell. It’s also part of a famous, white stucco terrace built by Henry de Bruno Austin in 1857, which is famous for having two ‘dummy houses’ at numbers 23 and 24.
They are just exterior facades with no houses attached, only the Tube line behind, because the architect didn’t want there to be an unattractive gap in his terrace. During the 1920s, it was a common prank to invite people to parties at these addresses and they also featured as a quirk in an episode of the BBC’s Sherlock Holmes series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
Historical curios aside, Greek-Cypriot born Papadakis paid great attention to preserving the period detailing, as have its current owners.
View from one of the terraces
“Leinster Gardens is a beautiful home with a really interesting history,” says Robert Cox, Mayfair sales manager for Harrods Estates, which is handling the sale. “Its Victorian period features have been carefully preserved and renovated, reflecting Andreas Papadakis’ appreciated for tradition.”
It’s Grade II Listed, so the original white stucco has been revived, the kitchen’s delicate cornicing with a vine leaves and grapes motif has been refurbished and oak herringbone parquet flooring reclaimed throughout.
Modern improvements include handmade walnut cabinets in the kitchen and a Bulthaup island worth thousands; an oak leaf chandelier and hidden speakers in the walls; a master bedroom suite across the entire second floor; and an outdoor patio area.
Call Harrods Estates’ Mayfair office on 020 7409 9001 or visit harrodsestates.com