Architectural Discourse

NOTES: This is one of the images taken for 'Manplan 8: Housing' in Architectural Review, vol. 148, 1970 Sep.

NOTES: This is one of the images taken for 'Manplan 8: Housing' in Architectural Review, vol. 148, 1970 Sep.

NOTES: This image is one of many taken for the Architectural Review's 'Manplan 8: Housing' issue of September 1970 for which Ray-Jones was the guest photographer. This image appeared on pp. 138-139. The Becontree Estate was one of the largest interwar council estates built by the London County Council. In 1919 the government approved the plans for 29,000 new homes to house 145,000 residents. The finished estate, by 1939 comprised 26,000 homes and housed a population of 120,000.

NOTES: This photograph comes from the archive of Sir Anthony Wakefield Cox (1915-1993).

SOURCE: Pascal-Xavier Coste. Monuments modernes de la Perse (Paris, 1867), plate XXXIX-XL NOTES: Coste (an architect and artist) and painter Eugene Flaudin were part of a diplomatic mission to Persia (now Iran) in 1839. They remained for two years recording the monuments and architecture of the country. In 1844 the book ÔÇÿMonument historiques de la PerseÔÇÖ was published, comprising their drawings of works from earliest times to the end of the Sassanid dynasty in the 7th century. Coste prepared an album of their work from that journey which covered the period from the beginnings of Islam in Persia to the reign of Fath-Ali Shah at the end of the 18th century. The work published in 1867, ÔÇÿMonuments modernes de la PerseÔÇÖ, is the published result of that album.

NOTES: Designed by Tecton in parallel with the Spa Green Estate, Priory Green was actually completed somewhat later by Skinner Bailey & Lubetkin in 1943-1957. The original design, part of a larger plan conceived before the war in 1937, was modified to take account of the changed post-war situation. The site, which originally was very small, was enlarged by bomb damage but at the same time the Council's housing fund suffered from cuts in government subsidies and Priory Green was denied the money available to the development at Spa Green. Rosebery Avenue opened in 1949 and the first stage of the estate was completed in 1952 consisting of 269 flats in the two eight-storey blocks and the four four-storey blocks. The third eight-storey block, community centre and public house were completed c. 1955. The scheme as first conceived was part of a unified programme that it was hoped would transform Finsbury and alleviate its appalling housing and social problems. The coherence of the strategy, however, was destroyed by changes in personnel in the Council and by post-war austerity.

NOTES: Designed by Tecton in parallel with the Spa Green Estate, Priory Green was actually completed somewhat later by Skinner Bailey & Lubetkin in 1943-1957. The original design, part of a larger plan conceived before the war in 1937, was modified to take account of the changed post-war situation. The site, which originally was very small, was enlarged by bomb damage but at the same time the Council's housing fund suffered from cuts in government subsidies and Priory Green was denied the money available to the development at Spa Green. Rosebery Avenue opened in 1949 and the first stage of the estate was completed in 1952 consisting of 269 flats in the two eight-storey blocks and the four four-storey blocks. The third eight-storey block, community centre and public house were completed c. 1957. The scheme as first conceived was part of a unified programme that it was hoped would transform Finsbury and alleviate its appalling housing and social problems. The coherence of the strategy, however, was destroyed by changes in personnel in the Council and by post-war austerity.

NOTES: Built between 1957 and 1961, this mixed high-density and controversial housing development was planned and designed by Sheffield Corporation City Architect's Department led by J. L. Womersley.

NOTES: Built between 1957 and 1961, this mixed high-density and controversial housing development was planned and designed by Sheffield Corporation City Architect's Department led by J. L. Womersley.

NOTES: Built between 1957 and 1961, this mixed high-density and controversial housing development was planned and designed by Sheffield Corporation City Architect's Department led by J. L. Womersley.

NOTES: Built between 1957 and 1961, this mixed high-density and controversial housing development was planned and designed by Sheffield Corporation City Architect's Department led by J. L. Womersley.