Arlington House, Margate: Concrete, Controversy & Sea Views
Margate, perched on the northeast coast of Kent, has long drawn artists, tourists, Londoners catching the first sea breeze, and those who appreciate seaside charm. Among its many buildings and vistas, one structure stands out not just for height, but for boldness: Arlington House.
It opened in December 1964, designed by Russell Diplock & Associates and built by Bernard Sunley & Sons. The developer, Bernard Sunley, was a figure with investment interests in projects of scale; the council provided a long lease for the land, and Arlington was intended as part of a sweeping seaside redevelopment.
Every flat was designed to have a view of the sea, by using an angular façade that “mimics the rolling waves” and by shaping how the building meets its site. The cladding is white concrete with mica flecks so that in sunlight the surface has a sparkle.
Margate: Seaside Town, Resilience & Revival
Margate has a long history as a British seaside resort. It grew in popularity especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries, as rail travel expanded and urban dwellers sought escapes by the sea.
After mid-20th century shifts in holiday patterns, and economic decline, there has been something of a resurgence more recently — driven by culture (Turner Contemporary gallery), independent shops, creative communities, people drawn by Margate’s aesthetic and sense of place. Arlington House is part of that story: a visible landmark of a certain era, controversial, admired, criticized.
Brutalism: Why It Matters Here
Arlington House is an example of Brutalist architecture. To understand its significance, it helps to look briefly at what Brutalism means:
Originating (in name at least) from the French béton brut (“raw concrete”), it’s a style that came into prominence after WWII, often in Britain, for public housing, civic buildings, towers, etc.
Key features include honest use of materials (concrete usually not covered up), strong geometric forms, minimal decorative detail, sense of monumentality or sculptural mass.
The style was often about social ambition: building housing, civic buildings rapidly; making bold statements about optimism, modernity, or renewal in the post-war era.
Arlington House embodies many of these: its raw concrete façade (albeit white, with mica); its tall, angular form; the idea that it would be a prominent part of Margate’s modern redevelopment; every apartment getting light and view; it was “ahead of its time” in some eyes.
Controversies, Challenges & Legacy
As with many Brutalist structures, Arlington has had its share of criticism and problems:
Some of the supporting commercial parts (shops etc.) have fallen into disuse or dereliction. Arlington Square is partly demolished/deteriorated.
Fire safety concerns, maintenance issues, aging windows, rising heating costs etc., have been raised by residents.
More recently, there’s debate about proposed changes to original window designs, with arguments over maintaining architectural authenticity vs improving comfort, energy efficiency, safety. High profile people including artist Tracey Emin have opposed changes that might alter character.
Yet, despite—or perhaps because of—these issues, Arlington House is a landmark. It is instantly recognisable on the Margate skyline. For some people it’s “Marmite architecture” (you love it or hate it), but for many others it’s part of what gives Margate its distinctiveness, its sense of layering: historic seaside resort + mid-20th century optimism + present-day creative reimagining.
Why Preserve It?
Here are some reasons why Arlington House matters beyond being “just another tower block”:
Cultural and architectural heritage: It reflects a period in British architecture and urban planning. Changing too much risks losing its identity.
Sense of place: For Margate, buildings like Arlington link past to present. They make the town more than just a historic beach or a gallery, but a living place shaped over time.
Lessons in design: How to balance views, light, public amenity; how ambitious was the original site plan; what succeeded, what failed. All instructive for future urban projects.
Debate and participation: The current window controversy, the struggle to keep commercial units in use, community groups like “A Better Arlington” show that people care. That in itself is part of its value.
Conclusion
Arlington House isn’t perfect. Its commercial arcades have suffered; some of its proposed features never got built; maintenance is hard. But it stands as a bold piece of the mid-20th century architectural fabric of Margate—a time of hope, modernization, seaside recreation, and civic ambition.
For all that, it remains more than a relic. It’s an ongoing story in concrete and glass: of how architecture can shape skyline and identity, how residents live with ideals and compromises, and how style is never just aesthetic—it’s social, political, material.
