South Kensington Living
Henry Holland (1745 - 1806)
Holland was the son of a Fulham builder. He studied architecture and went to work for 'Capability' Brown, the landscape gardener, and married his daughter.
He was one of the first to appreciate the possibilities of constructing housing in Chelsea and Kensington for the expanding affluent population of London. From 1771 he constructed Hans Town in Chelsea, one of the first such developments.
His first commission as an independent architect was Brooks' Club in London (1776 - 1778). It seems that he had come to the notice of the Prince of Wales (the future Prince Regent), who took an avid interest in new architectural trends. Soon after his Brooks' Club project, the Prince secured Holland the job of redesigning the Carlton Club, also in London (1783 - 1785).
Brighton was invented by the Prince of Wales. Holland built the Marine Pavilion for him (1786 - 1787), although it was later altered extensively by Nash to satisfy the Prince's craving for the latest trends.
Holland was a Neo-Classicist and is credited with introducing Neo-Classical style into mainstream English house building of the period.
