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Introduction
As you take your first few steps along the prominent red bricks of Rowley Ways footpath, on the Alexandra Road Estate, you are transported far away from Britain’s capital city. It is hard to imagine that you are only a short walk away from I’m sure the most famous zebra crossing near abbey road studios, yet that is one of the beauties of the city. You have entered a space that has helped transform the way we live today. A city within a city designed by Neave Brown who at the time worked for Camden Council and endeavoured to create better living conditions for those truly in need after the devastating effects of the second world war. An architect that pushed against the mass production of high rise flats and took a more radical approach creating low rise high density social housing estates with a more practical and comfortable way of living at the heart of his intentions. Yet it is evident that after the completion of the estate in 1978, as was the case with much of the postwar Brutalist architecture, its key values may not have been truly appreciated when discussing the visual impact of its freshly set concrete. It’s important to consider the transformation of the Alexandra and
Ainsworth Estate, the diverse community within it, their personalised spaces throughout and how the exterior has aged over time. It raises the question as to whether we should judge our newly built environment before we truly understand it, or have considered its intended function? Was it considered a cost effective alternative, in what was very much a contemporary housing crisis? Or did those that denigrate imagine or understand that the brutalist skin of the building and the young trees and flora would transform and grow, evolving into another world? Perhaps this doesn’t matter as eventually all judgements and opinions have its impact on the development of the built environment. One thing for certain is that it, with many other estates, was a huge advance in countering a British housing crisis. It demonstrates how we can and should push for more social housing and more affordable housing alternatives in what remains a dire housing situation with an ever expanding population and limited space available. Now that a large part of historical scrutiny relating to brutalist architecture is behind us, it is interesting to consider the change of public
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perception regarding this style of architecture, more specifically the architecture of Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate. Sadly some of this may be due to the introduction of the right to buy scheme by Margaret Thatcher, simply making it more fashionable and accessible, as those fortunate enough can now purchase a historic and listed part of the city. However, I do believe it relates to the wider acceptance and understanding of the socialist ideas and initiatives of post-war architecture using cost affective and enduring materials, low rise high density construction and, in Neave Brown’s case, with community at the core of their idea.
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In 2019, the Estate is particularly recognisable through its many appearances in a wide range of media. Such modern developments enabling a wider visibility of the world around us may result in a better understanding, acceptance and perception of our built environment and how we comment on it. Many are fascinated by the estate as it has been featured in so many ways. It is known that in past film and dramas the estate had been portrayed in a negative light, not boding well for its reputation. The other side has also been well documented,
talking to the community within it, listening to the views of those that still live there. The radical design also poses as a unique backdrop to current trends in some photographic genres and social media, introducing this form of architecture to a totally new audience. I’m sure that Neave Brown would never have considered the estate being used in such a way, so maybe this is an example of how architecture regenerates and initiates new conversations with new audiences. Therefore, if as a society, we are to travel on this non-linear journey through time, space and perception, withholding all preconceptions, the question arises, do we truly know how the future of our urban environment will evolve?
In Conversation With Peter Barber
With innovative and radical design ideas and ideals from that of the post war era being reintroduced, the project also includes an expert opinion on The Alexandra Road Estate and the current housing situation from a very important architect who focuses on the urban development of the city, Peter Barber. A ground-breaking and award winning architect, with some of his design elements having been inspired by the work of British postwar architects. What would you say we have learned from the ideology surrounding Brutalist and post war architecture in respect of enhancing the design of new housing projects? There are all sorts of ideologies that came out of the post war period. Alexandra Road came closer to Georgian or Victorian streets which is a distinguishing feature that’s commonly sighted. I suppose they were all at that thrust of the massive post-war house building programme that essentially arises out of a socialist mindset. It was an incredible achievement, I think it was around 150,000 homes a year were made when the country’s finances weren’t great, so it was an incredible effort by the post war labour government. I think we can learn a lot from that in this sort of tawdry housing programme that we have at the moment. But in terms of design I think that I have learnt a lot from the Camden architects, people have drawn parallels between what we are doing here and what they were doing there. The Alexandra Road Estate has had a positive impact on the local area, so relating to the estate and your work too, how does a building’s context determine the overall design? Well, context is one of the really
important ingredients but not the only ingredient, you have to bring it with its ideological, rather abstract set of ideas which belong to somewhere else. But when those are brought to a context, that’s when it becomes fascinating, when the two dove tail and the scheme arises out of that. I think that Alexandra Road does arise out of its context to some extent. Clearly one of the overarching features is its cantilever and rear facade to the railway line that is a incredible and heroic thing. That kind of strategy is one that we have emulated in lots of occasions. Looking back, do you think we may be guilty of prematurely judging new architecture before we have fully understood or considered its future role and how this could change over its lifetime? I’d say no, I think its alright to pass judgment straight away, that’s not to say it will be correct. In a way the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so when the building is finished it’s not really finished. It’s how a building performs when it’s occupied and how people use it and the stories that accumulate around it. So to that extent I suppose it’s true what you’re saying but I think we can try to talk about buildings before they are occupied and about what they aim to do. Some would say that this estate has developed not just aesthetically but also in terms of its diverse community. Would you agree that much has changed over time leading to something quite unique? Yes quite, I think how the building has accumulated things on the terrace is really interesting, although Neave Brown wasn’t so keen when people started constructing sheds and things like that on there. I for one think that’s
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something to be encouraged. So how it develops over time is really really important. Also the thing is, bits of the city ebb and flow, they come and go, they are successful for a while then fall into disrepair, then somebody takes interest again and that’s the nature of the city really. How do you think the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate has developed and what do you think about how it functions today? Well one of the things which is not to do with how it looks, but I suppose a large amount of the units there have been sold under the right to buy scheme introduced by Margaret Thatcher, so that would be in my view an entirely negative thing. I think with you saying it’s a more mixed community, I suppose you’re thinking more socio-cultural groups. I think the social housing issue is a much more serious issue and I’d rather none of it being sold off. That would be one major change to the estate in the last 41 years. The park has obviously had a lot of care and attention recently which is brilliant, but what I marvel at every time I go up there is what people are doing on those terraces. They change a little bit each time, that’s the joy of the building for me and how it almost becomes a landscape. Would you say enough is being done to encourage more innovative design which focuses on, for example, flexible living, communities and social housing
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Well one does what one can to encourage people to think in that way, so every time I conduct a lecture or write an article we emphasise that and make the case particularly urbanistically about housing. That’s quite often dealt with well but there’s also some
examples of stuff going up which is not doing the right thing urbanistically. So do you think this has changed to some extent over the years, with more architects pursuing a similar ethos to your own? Yes when I started studying architecture people didn’t really think about the city in quite the same way as they do now and I think the way we think about it now is fairly mainstream. It’s important for organisations and local housing associations to focus more on the need for affordable housing. Have you seen this change in any way? There is some money now going into it and we’ll have to see what the local authorities do with the large amount of money that seems to be coming in their way at the moment. But there has been a massive under investment in housing as evidenced by the housing crisis and the number of people that are left homeless. It appears to be moving in the right direction but lets see what happens. The estate has been used in a number of mediums over the years, from A list films, television dramas, documentaries to photography and social media. Therefore, how do you think this might have affected the way in which the estate is perceived? I’m guessing if it was used as some kind of backdrop to a crime drama it may well not be viewed positively and if it has been used as benign publicly funded housing creating joy and happiness it would be the opposite.
Acknowledgement
A special thank you has to go to Elizabeth Knowles, Sara Bell, Simon Heuberger and Aliyah for all of their generous support whilst visiting the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate helping to make the project possible, Camden Council for their permission, Peter Barber for his generous input and to all at Peter Barber Architects and finally to the University of South Wales for the support, guidance and education. Production: Printed by Taylor Brothers, Bristol Bound by Bristol Bound, Bristol Dafydd Jones Graphic Design William Morgan Publication Design
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un:fold Š All photographs and text by William Morgan Š Graphic Designs, Dafydd Jones www.williammorganphotography.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this publication is to be reproduced without written consent from the photographer himself.
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Publishing Date, May 2019