Tag Archives: Housing

Feb 16 2021
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Architecture, Britain, Construction, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

Robin Hood Gardens gave me nightmares and I’ve only ever seen the photos.

Source: https://iconichouses.org/icons-at-risk/robin-hood-gardens

This has to be one of the ugliest and most depressing constructs I’ve ever seen. It defines ‘eyesore’. Some cursory research and I find it beguiling that this was once trumpeted as social housing magic, the architects banging on about it as a solution to societal ills. Architectural determinism is real, and this … thing completely disregards the ‘Eyes on the Street’ element to design as illuminated in Jane Jacobs’ masterful The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

It’s tragic how buildings like this happened.

This bloke, he nails it:

Further reading:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/dec/05/robin-hood-gardens-east-london

https://www.archdaily.com/tag/robin-hood-gardens

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Apr 04 2019
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Architecture, Building, Canada, Construction, Tourism, Travel, Uncategorized

Habitat 67.

1200px-Habitat_panorama

I squirm at this but can’t stop staring. 146 apartments in Montreal, a breathing Lego kit with its own ecosystem. Designed by Moshe Safdie, this was meant to revolutionise affordable housing but its legacy is the opposite – a unit can set you back up to $1 million.

I guess it looks better than most dilapidated high-rises but for fuck’s sake, your crib is a tourist attraction. Every time you look out the window an army of Jimmy Stewarts are outside looking in, a Rear Window (1954) role reversal. Disturbing. What if you’re caught with a prossie?

If this is a glimpse of the future, I don’t wish to stick around for it.

Further reading:

https://www.mtlblog.com/lifestyle/what-a-1000000-apartment-looks-like-in-montreals-habitat-67

http://www.towertrip.com/inside-the-most-beautiful-habitat-67-unit-that-just-hit-the-market/

 

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