Modern housing, Poplar, east London, England by The Smithsons
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News Update 9 Mar 2009:
Dan Cruickshank attacks Tower Hamlets and English Heritage over Robin Hood Gardens
BD report 9 Mar states that Architectural historian and TV personality Dan Cruickshank has given the east London council and heritage body a drubbing over the Smithson’s estate.
TV presenter and historian Dan Cruickshank has launched a blistering attack on Tower Hamlets council and English Heritage over their failure to back the listing of Robin Hood Gardens, which he warned would lead to a “grotesque act of barbarism” if it is demolished.
Speaking at the Ecobuild conference last week ahead of his participation in a public debate on the Smithsons-designed east London estate, RIBA honorary fellow Cruickshank hit out at Tower Hamlets’ record on listed buildings and its poor maintenance of the estate while accusing English Heritage of “utterly failing” to do its job.
Cruickshank’s backing of BD’s campaign to rescue Robin Hood Gardens comes as the Twentieth Century Society revealed it would conduct a new survey of tenants following evidence that the council’s was skewed in favour of demolition.
“To destroy [the Robin Hood Gardens buildings] would be one of the most grotesque acts of barbarism, vandalism - architecturally, visually, socially,” said Cruickshank.
“Having failed to maintain and manage those buildings properly… they [the council] are taking what they think is the easiest solution to level the site. They are utterly wrong.
“What amazes me though is English Heritage – their job is to assess and step back and realise the raw potential of even problematic housing schemes, and they’ve utterly failed to do that.
“It is incredible that they are not listed. Buildings of that quality, comparable buildings – the Goldfinger buildings - Trellick Tower [and] Alton are listed - Sheffield Park Hill is listed, Keeling House is listed – why on earth is this one not listed?”
Robin Hood Gardens - Listing News, Apr 2008:
Minister's decision re listing on delayed until after 1 May 2008
Scanned sepia photos from 1996 by isabelle lomholt, apologies for the low quality:
Robin Hood Gardens
Date built: 1967/68 - 72
Architects: Alison & Peter Smithson, popularly known as The Smithsons
'Save Robin Hood Gardens' Competition sponsored by BD Magazine
Building Design campaign to list this Modernist housing estate, Feb-Mar 2008
Robin Hood Gardens Competition - Shortlisted Entry, 23 Jun 2008
Kraft Architecture working with Mike Hyatt Landscape Architects
Description of The Smithsons' controversial blocks:
Unlike the public housing on the other side of London - at Roehampton - this Modernist architecture wasn't formed from floating Corbusian slab blocks or elegant point blocks but long sinewy legs enclosing a massive and sterile piece of grass.
Comparisons:
The now-demolished Crescent blocks in Hulme, Manchester - though different in geometry - share the same external deck access with acres of grass and mounds between 'legs' of the block; indeed many public housing blocks across the UK share the deck access concept but tend to be copies. Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation does not really bear comparison as the access is mostly internal and the climate anyway is so different.
Robin Hood Gardens London : The Smithsons
Robin Hood Gardens- Redevelopment Proposals
2007
Horden Cherry Lee
London Architect
London Buildings
Buildings near by inlcude the Balfron Tower
Contemporary Architects
Robin Hood Gardens Redevelopment proposals - architect : Horden Cherry Lee
Alison & Peter Smithson building - photos © isabelle lomholt
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Robin Hood Gardens Buildings: page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
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