Social housing worker touring London's "rundown" estates once dubbed "utopias"

LondonWorld

A social housing worker is touring and reviewing London's most rundown housing estates - posting TikTok reviews about their hidden histories.  Noris Obijaku, 24, studied Architecture at Coventry University and is interested in building designs.  Noris has started a series where he reviews estates in the London area - many which are now rundown, but were once dubbed "utopias".  Noris' main purpose of these videos is to understand why there is such a stigma around social housing, he says.

Transcript

00:00How did this run-down estate turn into a bustling neighbourhood?

00:03We're going to London to uncover the finest Buckingham's and today we're in Brunswick Centre.

00:08Designed by architect Peter Hodgkinsons in the 1960s,

00:11Brunswick Square needed a new replacement from the run-down Georgian era housing.

00:15The original brief was to design an accommodation with the same density as two tower blocks

00:20without exceeding the 80ft height limit.

00:22So that day was to basically design a holistic community

00:25integrating housing, shopping, a medical centre,

00:27cinema and an office space all in a single development.

00:30I don't know about you but that's a very ambitious project.

00:33However by the 90s Brunswick had become completely run down.

00:36With the concrete unwashed and the shops left empty

00:39this place started to become very unpopular and very underappreciated.

00:42The concrete was left unpainted due to cost cutting measures,

00:45housing leak and the original vision for this estate never came to fruition.

00:48Despite this being unpopular with people that hated brutalist architecture,

00:52Brunswick Estate was awarded Grade 2 Listed Estates in 2000.

00:56And 6 years later the estate was given a coat of paint,

00:58given that facelift that Hodgkins always wanted.

01:01Separately I couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance

01:03this estate has to Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate.

01:06They literally share the same design language with this elevated step-down design

01:09which ensures that every apartment would receive at least 2 hours of sunlight every day.

01:14£20 million was invested to repair and restore this modern icon.

01:17Shopping streets were upgraded and canopies were added to create a more friendly environment.

01:22This is an example of an estate that was run down and got rejuvenated.

01:25So do you think this should be the same treatment for other social housing estates in London?

01:29This might be the last time you're seeing this building.

01:32We're going around London to uncover the finest blocking ends

01:35and today we're in Robin Hood Gardens.

01:37Located in Poplar in East London,

01:39it was designed by married architects Alison and Peter Smithson.

01:42It was also featured in the new Netflix show The Kitchen.

01:44When we got here,

01:45Jawash and I scoured the whole block looking for any signs of life

01:49but it was soon clear that the building was fully abandoned.

01:51You can't actually get in bro.

01:53Until this happened.

01:54Oh my days.

01:56Nah that's actually cool.

02:00We legged it but anyway let me give you some architectural facts.

02:04So the architects designed the walkways wide enough for children to play

02:08and to inspire community cohesion.

02:11They also implemented twin front doors

02:14which forced you to bump into your neighbour whenever you had a chance.

02:16I don't know how unknown that could get but let's go.

02:19Located next to the Blackpool Tunnel,

02:20the architects designed the walls which act like sound barriers

02:23against the heavy noise pollution nearby.

02:25The architects also faced the bedrooms inwards towards the lush garden.

02:28You can imagine this greenery in the middle

02:30encased by two buildings on either side

02:32but in 2017 the western block was completely demolished.

02:35However, part of it was reserved by the V&A Museum.

02:38There was an attempt supported by many noble architects

02:41to secure lesser status for this estate

02:43but it was rejected by the government in 2009.

02:45It's really sad to see buildings like this go.

02:47People do prefer the modern buildings.

02:49However, how do we know that these modern buildings that we see

02:51wouldn't age the same way?

02:52Stay tuned for the next block though.

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