The project intertwines archival research and my own personal childhood experiences in high-density housing to comment on urban redevelopment.
I created a series of paintings featuring windows as a motif to reflect the constriction of living space and community. These paintings are covered with concrete-proof clay, symbolising the loss of green spaces through urbanisation.
While the project uses Trellick Tower in West London as an observatory site, it speaks to broader issues. It fosters dialogue and advocacy, urging communities and the public to understand the significance of outdoor spaces for physical and mental health, especially post-Covid-19.
Through highlighting Brutalist architecture's original intent in fostering communal spaces, the project calls for urban development that is more considerate of communities' needs and well-being.
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My research began with an exploration of the negative impacts of modern warfare on living spaces and natural environments. Building upon the anti-war themes in my previous project, Go to the Shelter, I sought to extend the narrative of life in underground tunnels during the London Blitz and investigate the experiences of those returning to the surface in the post-war era.
In the summer of 2022, I visited the iconic Unité d'Habitation in Marseille, designed by Le Corbusier. This landmark of Brutalist architecture revealed the architect's vision for community planning in the aftermath of World War II, a time when Europe urgently needed affordable housing to rebuild society. Brutalism, characterized by its use of raw concrete and cost-effective construction, emerged as a solution for the working class, addressing both housing shortages and the social fabric of post-war communities.
While studying Brutalist architecture archives, I found that many post-war housing projects have faced significant transformation in recent years. In London and other major British cities, large-scale demolition and regeneration initiatives were launched to address issues like decaying infrastructure and rising crime rates. However, these efforts have sparked debates about the preservation of cultural, social, and historical values.
For instance, the demolition of the Robin Hood Gardens led to the construction of the Blackwall Reach regeneration project, which increased housing units nearly sixfold. Though 50% of these units were designated as affordable council homes, the changes raised questions about the loss of the original community identity. Similarly, in the Aylesbury Estate regeneration project in Southwark, only half of the new housing is classified as affordable, echoing the challenges faced in other working-class neighborhoods.
Conversely, affluent areas like the Barbican Estate have been preserved and maintained to cater to their original demographic of young professionals, families, and retirees. This contrast highlights the disparity in treatment between working-class and wealthier communities during urban redevelopment.
Further analysis revealed that Brutalist buildings have been subject to divergent paths of transformation. Some, like the Unité d'Habitation, have been converted into private residences and luxury hotels, while others, such as Balfron Tower in East London, underwent extreme renovation, displacing original residents in favor of high-end apartments. In contrast, Trellick Tower, also designed by Ernő Goldfinger, has preserved its council housing designation, evolving into a mixed-tenure community.
Despite its landmark status as a Grade II* listed building, Trellick Tower remains under pressure from urbanization. Located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), one of London's wealthiest areas, it has been targeted by RBKC’s New Homes Delivery Programme (NHDP). This initiative proposed the redevelopment of outdoor spaces—including a playground and graffiti area vital to the Trellick Tower community—originally designed by Goldfinger to foster recreation and post-war healing.
The initial NHDP plan sought to repurpose all outdoor areas for new housing construction, sparking resistance from residents. After three rounds of negotiations, RBKC revised its proposal in July 2021, offering a "better" community vision that still compromised outdoor spaces. Although labeled as a compensatory measure, the redesigned public garden concealed the loss of functional outdoor areas, ultimately failing to meet residents' needs and contributing to increased housing density.
May 2023
Archive Support by Bishopsgate Institute, The Royal Institute of British Architects, Tate Archive