The National Trust has been given 22 Parkside, the influential Wimbledon home designed by Richard Rogers that inspired Paris’s Centre Pompidou and the Lloyd’s of London building.
Described by the heritage trust as a “landmark example of 20th-century design” and “one of the most significant homes in British architectural history”, 22 Parkside was created by Rogers alongside his wife Su Rogers, who was also an architect.
Built between 1968 and 1970 for his parents, Nino and Dada Rogers, the house has moved from private ownership to the conservation charity, which stated it will “protect one of the UK’s most important examples of modern architecture for future generations”.
The home is widely credited with helping inspire the Centre Pompidou in Paris and shaping the design of London’s Lloyd’s building.
Ben Rogers, the son of Richard and Su Rogers, said: “22 Parkside is much more than a family home. It is one of the most important buildings my father and mother created – a place where many of the ideas that would go on to influence my father’s work and some of the world’s most celebrated architecture were first tested and explored.
“As a family, we wanted to ensure that this remarkable house would be protected, cared for and shared with future generations, rather than remaining a private asset. The National Trust brings the expertise, public purpose and long-term commitment needed to safeguard its future, while opening up its story to students, researchers and visitors.”
It has been called a ‘landmark example of 20th century design’ (National Trust Images/Megan Taylor)
Ruthie Rogers, who was married to the architect from 1973 until his death at age 88 in 2021, noted her late husband “regarded public access to culture – whether architecture, art, theatre, music, or design – as one of the great aspirations in life”.
She said: “It filled him with such joy that the public would have access to this house that was once private, a house that was a prototype for what he thought houses could be for all.”
National Trust director-general Hilary McGrady said: “We are profoundly grateful to the Rogers family for placing this extraordinary house in our care. Their generosity means that 22 Parkside will now become part of our shared inheritance, belonging not to a single family but to the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“This extraordinary gift will ensure that a building where world-changing ideas were born continues to inspire new generations of thinkers, makers and creators.”
It inspired the Centre Pompidou and Lloyd’s of London (National Trust Images/Megan Taylor)
The charity plans to organise guided tours, educational initiatives and interactive digital content at the site, aiming for it to “becomes a creative and educational resource for schools, universities and other heritage organisations around the world”.
The property will open to the public this Saturday as part of London’s Open House festival.
Positioned on a narrow, wooded plot adjacent to Wimbledon Common in south-west London, the residence used a pioneering approach to modern construction, flexible living and light-filled interiors.
Constructed as separate single-storey pavilions surrounding a central courtyard, the house and studio provided privacy while maintaining a link to the surrounding garden and using natural light.
The National Trust has said the home is a place where ‘world-changing ideas were born’ (National Trust Images/Megan Taylor)
Granted Grade II* listed status in 2013, it is also known as the Rogers House or Wimbledon House.
Rogers was also celebrated for other major architectural projects, including the Channel 4 Building in Westminster, law courts in Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Antwerp, the National Assembly of Wales in Cardiff, Barajas Airport in Madrid and Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport.