1 Who was involved in rebuilding our local area after WWII? Lesson 3, Presentation Supported by: Developed in partnership with:

2 Design for a development of multi-storey buildings surrounding St Paul's Cathedral, City of London, 1946 © Royal Institute of British Architects Even before the war had finished, architects and planners had new ideas to rebuild Britain’s bomb-damaged cities. Across Britain reconstruction started immediately, but was made difficult by the shortage of materials and labour in the years after peace had been declared. The post-war period saw new kinds of housing being built to satisfy the demand for homes and to accommodate the new ideas architects and planners had to improve the way British people lived.

3 Aerial view of a site in Shoreditch, London, 1944 © Royal Institute of British Architects This aerial view of Shoreditch shows the bomb damage (red) and overcrowded slums (black). It appeared in a booklet by architect Ernö Goldfinger. In his booklet Goldfinger proposed a blueprint for the rebuilding of this heavily bombed part of London. It was intended to conform to the bigger plan for London, the County of London Plan. Shoreditch

4 Site plan showing a completed proposed housing development to be built on land bombed during World War II, Shoreditch, London, 1944 © Royal Institute of British Architects This view shows the same area but with totally new developments. The proposal included space for schools, a nursery, college, new roads, car parks and garages. Shoreditch

5 Design for a new London, drawing by Stephen Rowland Pierce, 1942 © Royal Institute of British Architects London for much of its history developed without a master plan. Even after the Great Fire of London in 1666, grand rebuilding plans were not realised. Question 1: Imagine it is 1945 and the war is over, do you think London needs a plan for future reconstruction?

6 Architects Alison and Peter Smithson are pictured in front of a school they designed, 1954 © Royal Institute of British Architects Post-war reconstruction involved many skilled professionals, these included: architects planners engineers builders government officials Architects

7 Robin Hood Gardens under construction, Tower Hamlets, London, 1972 © Royal Institute of British Architects The Smithsons were two of the many architects that designed new homes after the war. Among the most famous post- war housing schemes is Robin Hood Garden, a council housing estate covering five acres in the East End of London. Robin Hood Gardens

8 Robin Hood Gardens, Tower Hamlets, London: the garden facade of the ten- storey slab block, 1972 © Royal Institute of British Architects The Smithsons wanted to create modern housing that recreated the community feel and neighbourliness of older housing types. Robin Hood Gardens consists of two long blocks, one of ten storeys, the other of seven, built from precast concrete slabs. Question 2: How is this type of housing different from the ones before WWII? Robin Hood Gardens

9 Plan showing the Greater London Plan's four zonal 'rings‘, 1945 © Royal Institute of British Architects Sir Patrick Abercrombie was a planner who created a blueprint for London’s post- war reconstruction, in the County of London Plan (1943) and the Greater London Plan. This called for more green space and the creation of New Towns outside London to prevent overcrowding. Question 3: What pattern can you observe? Planners

10 Mayor at the opening of Sandringham Road Housing Scheme, Hackney, 1948 Hackney Archives Ref. P 2518 The opening of new housing estates were often celebrated events, especially if they were planned and built by local councils or the government. Such events attracted the news media and public, and were opened by officials such as mayors, MPs or even royalty Question 4: Imagine you were invited to open a new council estate in your local area. What speech would you write? Officials

11 Mapledene Road, housing site: Apprentice Master’s Scheme, 1950, showing driveway Hackney Archives Ref. P2289 Mapledene Road

12 Mapledene Road, housing site: Apprentice Master’s Scheme, 1950, showing workmen laying foundations Hackney Archives Ref. P2288 Mapledene Road

13 Mapledene Road – north side from no. 53 looking east to Lansdowne Drive, 1912 Hackney Archives P Mapledene Road

14 Exterior: 32 Newton Road, Paddington, London. The road façade © Royal institute of British Architects 32 Newton Road is a private house designed by Sir Denys Lasdun and built just before WWII in It is located in an area of mainly large Victorian houses. Question 5: From the outside how would this building contrasted with its Victorian neighbours? What reaction do you think neighbours would have had? Denys Lasdun

15 Interior: 32 Newton Road, Paddington, London. © Royal institute of British Architects Denys Lasdun

16 Plans: 32 Newton Road, Paddington, London. The ground and first floor plan © Royal institute of British Architects The plan shows that this house had It had rooms for servants, fitted kitchen, and a study. There are four floors in total, the other floors have a studio, separate bedrooms, and a sun terrace. Question 6: Draw a plan of your own home. Include details like the position of furniture and fittings. Denys Lasdun

17 Site plan of Mapledene Estate, 1948 Hackney Archives, Ref. H/EP/28 Mapledene Estate - Plan

18 Site plan of Mapledene Estate, 1948, Hackney Archives, Ref. H/EP/28 The ground floor plan of one terraced house in the Mapledene Estate. It shows the details of the kitchen (in red), living room and parlour. Ground floor plan

19 Site plan of Mapledene Estate, 1948, Hackney Archives, Ref. H/EP/28 A plan of the kitchen, showing all the latest modern conveniences to be installed in the homes of the Mapledene Estate. Kitchen plan

20 Site plan of Mapledene Estate, 1948, Hackney Archives, Ref. H/EP/28 A plan of the kitchen, showing all the latest modern conveniences to be installed in the homes of the Mapledene Estate. Section of kitchen

21 Cross-section Mapledene Estate, 1948 Hackney Archives, Ref. H/EP/28 A section of the same house, showing the kitchen (red), bedrooms and living room. Question 7: Draw a section of your home. Include furniture and fittings. Section of house

22 Elevation Mapledene Estate, 1948 Hackney Archives, Ref. H/EP/28 An elevation of the same house Elevation of house