Croydon Part 2: Unplanning the Future​ | Architecture Foundation
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This short documentary covers current developments and mini masterplans across Croydon, short interviews with the people that are working on the projects directly provides an interesting insight into the reasons behind decisions that would be difficult to find elsewhere. I found it useful to see the different types of work that current architects are doing and how it fits into a wider plan for the town especially because the work I do with RISEgallery in Croydon is contributing to a cultural revival so it is important to see how everything connects up.
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Croydon has had a relationship with the Architecture Foundation for several years when they staged ‘Croydon The Future’ exhibition which engaged several architects into coming up with exciting ideas for the town. Something I found odd, however, was that the first part of this documentary has been blocked on copyright grounds so the public are unable to view it online yet it remains on their website with a synopsis that points to why it might have been blocked, ‘piecing together a story of big visions with a whiff of corruption’. Part 2 discusses the council’s use of young architects for the mini masterplans and how they have been successful in their fresh and creative vision, interestingly Central Saint Martins BA architecture have put forward several proposals to reinvigorate pockets of interest in the town, paying particular attention to places that will host cultural events during the Fairfield closure and overall enhance people’s well being by activating different areas.
Concretopia | John Grindrod
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Concretopia is an exploration of post-war Britain, it feels like a very personal account from John Grindrod because he talks directly to the reader about his experience growing up in New Addington and how that sparked his interest in this investigation. Grindrod tells the story through other people’s recollections of events after the war and their opinions on why certain decisions were made. He ends his introduction with an honest sentiment that compelled me to read on; ‘I didn’t know what to expect when I set out, but what I found was a story of design triumphs and planning disasters, of heroic struggles and thwarted schemes, widespread corruption and utopian ideals.’
This book has helped me to discover more about the reasons for certain planning decisions, the good intentions behind the ideas and why a lot has failed. Combining this with my personal experience brought together a deeper understanding of Croydon in itself and how it fits into what was happening across the country after the war. The timing of Concretopia’s released was pertinent to the current development and redevelopment plans in Croydon as it talks about the successes and failures of the last 80 years as well as looking to the future and avoiding the same mistakes. The personal interviews give such a clear focus on people, how architecture and the feeling of the town affected them in the past, this highlights the fact that it is still very relevant particularly for the events driven by social unrest during 2011.
Bunkers, Brutalism and Bloodymindedness | Jonathon Meades
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Jonathon Meades declares his adoration of Brutalist architecture for the duration of these two documentaries, he celebrates the majesty of a wide selection of different buildings whilst explaining its origins, ideology and reception.
‘Brutalism was the architecture of mankind’s imperium. It is the expression of mankind’s supremacy. It lords it over the Earth. It is the architecture most appropriate to the Anthropocene era. The architecture we have had since is the architecture of penitence.’
He is able to put across a standpoint that I had not come across in other sources, though I have read of many buildings that are greatly appreciated, revered even, I had not heard of them described in such a way as Meades has. He relishes their ability to inspire such furious contempt in people and praises the greatest Brutalist structures for not being in the business of being beautiful.
This documentary has informed my practice by providing me with a deeper understanding of what Brutalism is and where it arose from, I was then able to see aspects of this in the buildings that I have been studying and understand the decisions that were made for these; for example the former school of art building was build with 2 zigzag edges so that an extra set of windows could be put in providing more natural light for the artists. Being able to pick out brutalist intentions in architecture has added an interesting dimension to my investigation of buildings in Croydon.
The Way We Live | Jill Cragie​
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This film is a sort of pseudo documentary about the plans to rebuild Plymouth after World War II using Abercrombie town planning, told by a visiting journalist and the families that were made homeless by the particularly devastating bombing in the area. The film was made in 1946, it addressed current and real issues in a creative and accessible way using the opinions of real people. The director was very concerned about the rebuilding of the town and wanted to provide clarity to the townspeople as well as a platform for their opinions to be heard.
I think that even though ‘The Way We Live’ was filmed about Plymouth it is indicative of the situation of a lot of places like Coventry, Birmingham and Croydon. The particular parallel that I was drawn to is the feeling of uncertainty, this has become a key part of my practice. Uncertainty has arisen again in Croydon, there have been several accounts of social unrest and a rising homelessness problem that I have continued to examine within my practice and through the work I do in Croydon. The film looked closely at people rather than towns plans and spoke most about how the proposed changes made people feel; this is an important aspect that I continue to consider as I make work. Though I don't feature people within my images, I am looking at structures that were built for people to use and inhabit and will continue to examine how the combination of these buildings come together to make a place and the impact this particular place has on peoples lives.
Edge City Croydon | National Trust
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“There is no doubt whatever about the influence of architecture and structure upon human character and action. We make out buildings and afterwards they make us. They regulate the course of our lives.”
Winston Churchill to the English Architectural Association, 1924
Edge City is a National Trust guide book that accompanied an architectural tour of Croydon that ran in the spring 2016, the charity’s interest in the town highlighted the importance of conserving the varied architecture and brought together a history of the town’s changes over the centuries in a concise manner.
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The post war development story was more deeply covered in Concretopia but from this document I took away information about the architect Robert Atkinson. He designed the new Croydon College with its neo-classical columns and the starkly contrasting Fairfield Halls, (sister of the Royal Festival Hall) this was of particular relevance to me as this is a key area that I have focused my attentions to, this is now a major site for redevelopment that started last year with the closure of Fairfield halls for refurbishment. There was initially a widely shared doubt that Fairfield would reopen, people have had negative experiences with big plans not yet coming to fruition as much of the redevelopment has been in conversation for over 20 years so this is an understandable fear.
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This document has informed my work by drawing together my historic knowledge and providing me with a deeper understanding of why certain decisions were made and how they have affected the current situation of the town. I think it has been important to understand that the changes that are happening now are not isolated to the current times, Croydon has continually been a place of change. This text pairs extremely well with the new masterplan documents that have been released over the later 10 years to see more clearly the vision for the future in making Croydon a more well connected and living town rather than somewhere to pass through.