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The Smithsons on Housing

1970 BBC Documentary

Alison and Peter Smithson: Robin hood gardens, Poplar, London; 1972

Robin Hood Gardens is a social housing complex in East London in the residential area of Poplar. It was designed by architects Alison and Peter Smithson and completed in 1972. The Brutalist buildings stand as an example of the Smithsons’ theories in practice. Practices that today face an uncertain future.

Robin Hood Gardens was built in post-war Britain when residential towers were being built as a symbol of progress after the war. Many were developed with concrete in the Brutalist style including Robin Hood Gardens and the nearby Balfron Tower.

Built within a decade of one another, the two buildings stand today with one major difference. The Balfron Tower’s status as a listed building protects it from demolition as an important architectural work, whereas Robin Hood Gardens has been denied.

By the 1970s British architects Alison and Peter Smithson had established themselves as leaders in post-war architecture. They had built a handful of their designs prior to Robin Hood Gardens, including the Economist Building, and were well know theorists. The Smithsons’ preached modern architecture designed with low cost, and easily available materials.

They were categorized as Brutalists, and sought for each building to be designed according to its location and its use. From these ideals also came their utilitarian aesthetic, reflecting all of these conditions in their buildings’ form.

Robin Hood Gardens was built with panels of pre-cast concrete and is comprised of two horizontal structures which include a total of 213 apartments. There are one and two story apartments in both buildings, which bend slightly inwards, hugging the urban garden between them. In order to allow in more southern light, one of the buildings is ten stories high, while the other is seven stories.

The garden is the center includes a rising hill created by the remnants from construction. This communal space for the residents is an essential part of Robin Hood Gardens for the Smithsons who were intent on improving people’s lives through design. Robin Hood Gardens was seen as their chance to prove this vision for progressive social housing.

Another example of the Smithsons’ social intentions is integrated through the concept of “streets in the sky.” Every third level of the buildings includes a wide concrete balcony jutting off towards the center of the site, overlooking the garden. The balconies are wide enough for multiple people to walk and for children to play. They were proposed by the Smithsons as a new neighborhood street for these housing units.

From the beginning, Robin Hood Gardens has been at the center of a debate concerning its success. Initially, structural issues raised the cost of the building. Once lived in, critics blamed crime within the buildings on the Smithsons’ design, but there have been many issues contributing to the less than ideal conditions of Robin Hood Gardens today.

A serious denial in upkeep has made the apartments less desirable places to live, and developers are eager to demolish the buildings in order to expand their own visions of the future. If London intends to keep Robin Hood Gardens it will need to invest in renovations to liven the building, but renovations would come at a much lower cost than the current plan to demolish it.

#The Smithsons #Alison and Peter Smithson #Robin Hood Gardens #London #Brutalist #streets in the sky #precast concrete #progressive social housing #213 apartments #one and two storey apartments #observations & reflections #observationsandreflections

a battered library book frontpiece by eduardo paolozzi

#alison and peter smithson #the smithsons #eduardo paolozzi #brutalist architecture #brutalist #modernist architecture

The Smithsons wrote: “‘As found’ is a small affair; it is about being careful… the as found [is] where the art is in the picking up, turning over and putting with”. The essence of ‘as found’ as a concept lies in accepting the value of the everyday. Any aspect of the built environment can be interpreted and employed as a trigger for architectural propositions. The encouragement is to look further than known academic models, and to consider ways in which the ordinary can be harassed through reinterpretation. The concept of ‘as found’ has encouraged us to open our eyes to all that lies around us.

Jonathan Sergison; Lessons learnt from Alison and Peter Smithson; Papers 2 (pg. 53), published earlier in ‘L’architecture d’aujourd’hui’, no. 344, Jan-Feb 2003

#Jonathan Sergison #Sergison Bates architects #as found #The Smithsons #everyday #concept #design quotes #observations #ordinary #observationsandreflections #observations & reflections

the smithsons, peter and alison smithson, architects: robin hood gardens, london 1966-1972 by seier+seier Via Flickr: robin hood gardens, london, 1966-1972. architects: the smithsons, peter and alison smithson (1923-2003 & 1928-1993). 8th floor lift lobby supergraphics and concrete furniture. this photo was uploaded with a CC license and may be used free of charge and in any way you see fit. if possible, please name photographer "SEIER+SEIER";. if not, don't. the smithsons.