Heating and ventilating

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: This cylinder shaped tower serves as a ventilation and water tank facility for a nearby shopping centre. The tower is clad with perforated aluminium panels which shield the mirrored plates and lights within.

NOTES: This, the largest housing scheme by Westminster City Council, was built in four sections between 1946 and 1962. The heat-accumulator was used to store the hot water brought in a tunnel below the river from Battersea power station for the district heating scheme.

NOTES: The cathedral was built to a competition-winning design of 1903. It was consecrated in 1924 but only completed in 1978.

NOTES: This brick-clad building contains the ventilation tower for the Queensway Tunnel under the River Mersey connecting Liverpool and Birkenhead.

NOTES: The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels under the River Thames linking the East End at Blackwall, Poplar, with the Greenwich peninsula. The distinctive ventilation towers for the second eastern tunnel, which opened in 1967, were designed by Terry Farrell in 1961-1962 while he was working as an architect for the London County Council.