Parkhill Flats, Sheffield are classed as "Brutalist Architecure" Many people see Parkhill as a concrete monstrosity (Until recently, I was one of them . I always found Parkhill fascinating and alluring but until I did a little further research I viewed her as negatively as the next man) however there is far more to Parkhill and its' construction than meets the eye. In the Design page I have tried to impress on people how Parkhill came into being. In this section I am hoping to try and explain about Brutalism and explain why Parkhill and other such constructions are more than just "piles of concrete" (as a member of our Royal family has described them) I have picked a selection of images and quotes to try and convey the historical merit of brutalism and the impact it has had on modern architecture as we know it.
Trellick Tower is a 32 Storey Brutalist Construction in North Kensington. Work began in 1968 and was completed in 1972. The dimensions of this vast living space are is 98 metres (322 ft) tall (120 metres (394 ft) including the communications mast). Trellick Tower was another example of a Brutalist Building which gained a terrible reputation. This reputation was soon turned around, with a few safety additions and security the tower became a hip place to live, "A pop Culture Icon".
"Trellick Tower in west London featured regularly in the tabloids, and their stories of what was to be found in its brutalist corridors were terrifying. Women raped in elevators, children attacked by heroin addicts in the basement, and homeless squatters setting fire to flats were among the more lurid. So bad was the Tower's reputation that one urban myth told how the architect, wracked with guilt at creating this monstrosity, threw himself from the roof.
Hungarian émigré Erno Goldfinger was immensely proud of his 31 storey, 322 feet high rectangular slab which dominates the west London skyline. And in recent years, thanks to the concerted efforts of the residents, the Tower's reputation has been transformed.
The number of flats for sale is still small (only a handful out of the 219 flats are bought), but those that do change hands privately go for £150,000- £200,000.Residents bristle at the Tower's reputation as a home for the new 'urban cool', but since the installation of a concierge and basic security apparatus, Trellick's debilitating social problems have been largely stamped out and the building has become something of a pop culture icon. In 1998, it was awarded a Grade 2* listing."
The Tower is now overseen by A Tennant Management Organisation. security such as CCTV and a concierge have been installed, and crime rates have significantly fallen. The flats are blessed with large balconies, which on the higher levels offer stunning views across the city. The small tower which appears to be stuck on the side of the living space is a service tower which houses waste chutes, lifts and boiler rooms.
The reputation of Modernist architecture suffered greatly in the 1970s and 1980s. As with Parkhill, crime, economic and social issues yet again saw a Brutalist Building gain a very unsavoury reputation. This is not so much the case now. Trellick Tower is now a shining example of Modernist Architecture, It also stands as testimony that with careful planning and consideration to social issues, tower block living can be both enjoyable and viable, not to mention desirable amongst the cities trendy and proffessional young. You only need to look at The Barbican Estate for further evidence of this.
The Barbican estate was built between 1965 and 1976, currently housing around 4,000 people living in 2,014 flats. Like Parkhill and Trellick Tower The Barbican Estate has been given grade 11 listed status, this status was given to the estate in 2001. The residential estate consists of 13 terrace blocks and has three tower blocks called: Cromwell Tower, Shakespeare Tower (image below) and Lauderdale Tower. The Barbican Estate also contains The Barbican Centre an Arts and Conferencing centre, amongst other business ventures.
The Barbican is Brutalism at its' most desirable: A large percentage of those living at the Barbican are professionals in the City, lawyers and bankers. Quoting Paul Driscoll, associate director of agents Hurford Salvi Carr's City branch in 2007: "we have a larger waiting list of purchasers for the Barbican than for any other area in the City. Our research suggests owner-occupiers make up about 65 per cent of residents - and of those, up to 25 per cent are pieds-a-terre." Approximately 35 per cent of properties in 2007 were rental investments. Anyone that fancies taking up residence in the Barbican better to be prepared to pay for the priviledge, if indeed you actually manage to get your hands on a apartment. Prices for studios start at £ 200,000. One-bedroom apartments fetch from £ 325,000 and two beds from £ 430,000, while penthouses can reach up to £ 2million. Currently available Barbican residencies and further infomation about one of Londons Hotspots can be found at Barbican Living
Certainly in comparison to the vast majority of Brutalist Buildings, The Barbican looks welcoming, well looked after and has retained its' original values and feautres. The simple addition of greenery and plant overhang combined with public ares featuring calming water, manages to emphasise what the Modernist Architects had envisiged when they were designing the complexes. The image below depicts how The Barbican Estate holds onto its' desirability.
The Tricorn Centre Portsmouth incorporated, shopping, living and even a nightclub, completed in 1966, the Tricorn met her demise in 2004. Why though? what reasoning was there for this? It was certainly quite a famous example of Brutalism and certainly was a good example of an era in architecure, so why when Trellick Tower, Parkhill and The Barbican were allowed to remain and be preserved did the Tricorn not make the Grade?
In the early 1960s Portsmouth reassesed its shopping facilties/areas. One of these areas was the Charlotte Street area, one particular scheme was submitted by Owen Luder, Architect for the E. Alec Colman Group of Companies. The centre was designed as the “Casbah Centre”, whereas we know of the concept of "streets in the sky", here was her commercial equivalent, Luder had submitted what he wanted to become Portsmouth’s “Market-In-The-Sky”.
In the early 1990s there were many ideas thrown around about the Tricorns future, these included cladding of the building, painting of the exposed concrete even covering it with mosaics. Demolition was a possibility , it was at this point listing of the building was suggested. The Tricorn was experiencing problems and a split of public opinion. What she did provide was 400 much needed inner city parking spaces, so even if demolition was to be an option it certainly would not be done straight away.
Lack of listing aside, the building had fallen structually into decline. Helped along by the wet, salty climate of Portsmouth her steel structure began to corrode, the steel expanded. The building was deemed too bigger challenge to make structually sound. The Tricorn Centre was defended by certain persons who were of the opinion it was not beyond repair. In 2004 demolition began. The image below obviously taken mid demolition, shows the public debate the buildings demise brought about. The words "We Love The Tricorn" on the surrounding fences show that the building was loved and many understood her worth. They fought for her to keep her place in the city.
Heritage Minister Andrew McIntosh decided against listing the Tricorn Centre in Portsmouth. It would seem that one of the main reasons for listing being denied was due to the physical state of the building. As with the majority of Brutalist buildings the Tricorn suffered and gained a reputation, a suicide hotspot and a mecca for trouble and vice. Advisors pointed out that although an interesting example of its design, its performance was questionable such as the ongoing issues with letting out the commercial untis within the centre for example. On the matter of listing English Heritage Concluded "taken collectively, these point towards the failure of the Tricorn to achieve the functions for which it was originally designed. Architecture is about more than the look of the building: it is about how a building operates and functions as well. Sculpturally powerful as it is in parts, it needs to be judged on other considerations as well." When looking at Functionality, did Parkhill and The Trellick Tower not function as it should at one point? The Tricorn had been dealt a bad card.
A.K.A Parkhills cousin, Next on the list is Robin Hood Gardens Estate, Poplar London. Built in 1972. Maybe I should have placed this one higher up on the list! Designed by the Smithsons Robin Hood shares characteristics similiar to Parkhill. Robin Hood Gardens conatined 213 homes based on "the streets in the sky" principal. Robin Hood Gardens is a combination of single floor living space, combined with maisonnettes.
The estate has been a topic of hot debate amongst modern high profile architects such as Lord Rogers, Zaha Hadid and Stuart Lipton due to rejection of listing.the estate. The Twentieth Century Society put the estate forward for listing in 2007 by sending the following letter of proposal to English Heritage for consideration. The proposal was rejected and an appeal loodged.
The reasons for rejection of the appeal by English Heritage were amongst others that "the estate has serious shortcomings as it did from the start" and that as it was built late on after the original "streets in the sky" concept was originally created and with that in mind it was not a ground breaking or influential. Further information regarding the decision is to be found here on the English Heritage web page.
Residents of the estate were in the main happy with the decision not to list, with comments such as "People live in Robin Hood Gardens, like they live in a prison, You could be walking along and all of a sudden you find something has hit you - an egg, a stone, a drink or cup thrown from the top." Hearing this it is not hard to understand why the long suffering residents of Robin Hood gardens do not share the same feelings as those who are pro conservation. In response to this the pro lobbyists are of the firm belief that the demise of the estate, as with so many now demolished brutalist structures was yet again due to neglect on behalf of the councils, with Lord Rogers expressing "Robin Hood Gardens has been appallingly neglected and, from the beginning, has been used as a sink estate"
At the time of writing this in January 2010 the estate still stands like a fortress next to the busy Blackwell Tunnel.
Alexandra Road estate, refered to as Rowley way was designed by the architect Neave Brown in 1969 and in my opinion is a beautifully designed estate .
Website under construction
Website Under Construction
Website Under Construction
Website Under Construction
PLEASE CONTACT ME BY EMAIL IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE SITE: SAZ@PARKHILLFLATS.CO.UK