1
A moribund Robin Hood Gardens, Cotton Street
The protracted death throes of the Smithson estate are finally nearing their end (
Image]). Redevelopment of the site has been on the cards for at least ten years. Campaigns to have it listed have failed; a succession of starchitects proclaiming the estate to be the best building since the Parthenon have left the powers that be unmoved. As to what the current residents think, you can find an opinion poll to support demolition and another to preserve the estate. The western block (here) is now empty and largely boarded up behind hoardings; the eastern will follow in a few months. Demolition has started at the north of the site.
The replacement development, Blackwall Reach, looks to be offering bog-standard fare, in many ways inferior to RHG, but will at least have the merit of providing more housing than is being demolished. That is a novelty. It seems unlikely, however, that many current residents will be able to remain in the area. One would not have to be overly cynical to suspect that that is not an accident.
Image: © Stephen Richards
Taken: 18 Sep 2017
0.01 miles
2
Robin Hood Gardens, Cotton Street (3)
An oblique view of the east side of the west block. Robin Hood Gardens is one of London's most notorious 1960s housing estates which is deeply hated by some but revered by others as a beacon of modern architecture. There are probably more people in the former camp than the latter. There are two blocks aligned roughly north-south with a patch of green space between them. They were designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in 1966-72, with Christopher Woodward and Ken Baker of the Greater London Council. The buildings embody the Smithsons' idea of "streets in the sky" and are an example of concrete Brutalism, with the pre-cast concrete being rough and shuttered. Pevsner comments that while being "impressively monumental" the scheme is also "inhumane" because of the high density, the narrowness of the decks and its proximity to busy roads on two sides.
Tower Hamlets Council plan to demolish the buildings and redevelop the site. A campaign by the Twentieth Century Society and others to halt this by applying for listed building status in 2008 was unsuccessful.
Image: © Stephen Richards
Taken: Unknown
0.02 miles
3
Robin Hood Gardens, E14
As seen from Cotton Street. Surely nobody ever thought these flats were attractive?
Image: © Danny P Robinson
Taken: 16 Sep 2009
0.03 miles
4
Robin Hood Gardens, Cotton Street (1)
The west side of the west block. Robin Hood Gardens is one of London's most notorious 1960s housing estates which is loathed by some but revered by others as a beacon of modern architecture. There are probably more people in the former camp than the latter. There are two blocks aligned roughly north-south with a patch of green space between them. They were designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in 1966-72, with Christopher Woodward and Ken Baker of the Greater London Council. The buildings embody the Smithsons' idea of "streets in the sky" and are an example of concrete Brutalism, with the pre-cast concrete being rough and shuttered. Pevsner comments that while being "impressively monumental" the scheme is also "inhumane" because of the high density, the narrowness of the decks and its proximity to busy roads on two sides.
Tower Hamlets Council plan to demolish the buildings and redevelop the site. A campaign by the Twentieth Century Society and others to halt this by applying for listed building status in 2008 was unsuccessful.
Image: © Stephen Richards
Taken: Unknown
0.03 miles
5
Flats on Cotton Street, Blackwall
Image: © Ian S
Taken: 1 Mar 2014
0.03 miles
6
Robin Hood Gardens, Cotton Street (2)
The centre of the west side of the west block. Robin Hood Gardens is one of London's most notorious 1960s housing estates which is deeply hated by some but revered by others as a beacon of modern architecture. There are probably more people in the former camp than the latter. There are two blocks aligned roughly north-south with a patch of green space between them. They were designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in 1966-72, with Christopher Woodward and Ken Baker of the Greater London Council. The buildings embody the Smithsons' idea of "streets in the sky" and are an example of concrete Brutalism, with the pre-cast concrete being rough and shuttered. Pevsner comments that while being "impressively monumental" the scheme is also "inhumane" because of the high density, the narrowness of the decks and its proximity to busy roads on two sides.
Tower Hamlets Council plan to demolish the buildings and redevelop the site. A campaign by the Twentieth Century Society and others to halt this by applying for listed building status in 2008 was unsuccessful.
Image: © Stephen Richards
Taken: Unknown
0.03 miles
7
A moribund Robin Hood Gardens, Woolmore Street
The protracted death throes of the Smithson estate are finally nearing their end (
Image]). Redevelopment of the site has been on the cards for at least ten years. Campaigns to have it listed have failed; a succession of starchitects proclaiming the estate to be the best building since the Parthenon have left the powers that be unmoved. As to what the current residents think, you can find an opinion poll to support demolition and another to preserve the estate. The western block (here) is now empty and largely boarded up behind hoardings; the eastern will follow in a few months. The pile of rubble in front was Anderson House, a 1950s block at the north of the site.
The replacement development, Blackwall Reach, looks to be offering bog-standard fare, in many ways inferior to RHG, but will at least have the merit of providing more housing than is being demolished. That is a novelty. It seems unlikely, however, that many current residents will be able to remain in the area. One would not have to be overly cynical to suspect that that is not an accident.
Image: © Stephen Richards
Taken: 18 Sep 2017
0.03 miles
8
Robin Hood Gardens
Robin Hood Gardens, Poplar
Image: © Malc McDonald
Taken: 3 May 2010
0.04 miles
9
Robin Hood Gardens, Robin Hood Lane (1)
The east side of the east block. Robin Hood Gardens is one of London's most notorious 1960s housing estates which is deeply hated by some but revered by others as a beacon of modern architecture. There are probably more people in the former camp than the latter. There are two blocks aligned roughly north-south with a patch of green space between them. They were designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in 1966-72, with Christopher Woodward and Ken Baker of the Greater London Council. The buildings embody the Smithsons' idea of "streets in the sky" and are an example of concrete Brutalism, with the pre-cast concrete being rough and shuttered. Pevsner comments that while being "impressively monumental" the scheme is also "inhumane" because of the high density, the narrowness of the decks and its proximity to busy roads on two sides.
Tower Hamlets Council plan to demolish the buildings and redevelop the site. A campaign by the Twentieth Century Society and others to halt this by applying for listed building status in 2008 was unsuccessful.
The tower on the right is Balfron Tower, by another controversial architect, Erno Goldfinger, in 1965-67 (
Image]).
Image: © Stephen Richards
Taken: Unknown
0.04 miles
10
Flats on Robin Hood Lane, E14
This block won't win any beauty contests.
Image: © Danny P Robinson
Taken: 11 Jul 2009
0.04 miles