On 13 July 300 people attended a protest at Lambeth Town Hall to protest against Lambeth Council's decision to proceed with the full demolition of the estate. This decision was made public, on Twitter, by Councillor Mathew Bennet, both before residents were informed and days before it was due to be put to a vote … Continue reading Cressingham Gardens Demolition Decision: Protest
Author: Simon Elmer
46 years on…
Thanks to Sturgis, who are undertaking a green retrofit feasibility study for Cressingham Gardens, for sending us the set of original Tulse Hill drawings produced by Ted Hollamby for Lambeth Council in 1969. The beautiful cover image alone hints at more sensitive approach to urban design - the entire estate was planned around the existing … Continue reading 46 years on…
Cressingham Gardens: Design Workshop
On 27 June 2015, ASH participated in a workshop at Cressingham gardens regarding potential designs for the 'Voids', a set of flats on Crosby Walk to the north of Cressingham Gardens which have lain derelict for over 16 years. We set up a table in the shared garden in front of the properties in Crosby Walk, … Continue reading Cressingham Gardens: Design Workshop
Parcours on Central Hill
Throughout June and July 2015, a group of students from Brazil participating in the Science Without Borders exchange programme at De Montfort University chose to participate in a project working with ASH at Central Hill. Starting at the Open Garden Estates, Fernanda, Bruna and Leticia spent time getting to know Central Hill, and - in … Continue reading Parcours on Central Hill
Open House – Central Hill
ASH has succeeded in organising for Central Hill estate to be a part of Open House over the weekend 19-20 September. Tours by ASH and residents of the estate will take place, and some of the original architects who worked on the scheme are being approached.
SOLUTIONS TO A ‘CRISIS’
Two long, sustained, informed and informative articles about London’s housing ‘crisis’ have been published in the past week: Oliver Wainwright’s ‘Revealed: how developers exploit flawed planning system to minimise affordable housing’, published in last Thursday’s Guardian; and Rowan Moore’s ‘London: the city that ate itself’ in Sunday’s Observer. However, at the end of both, and … Continue reading SOLUTIONS TO A ‘CRISIS’
Environmental Impact
Kate Crawford and team at UCL Engineering have produced several papers discussing the relative merits and impact of demolition versus refurbishment. https://www.london.gov.uk/mayor-assembly/london-assembly/publications/knock-it-down-or-do-it-up
Viability Assessments and Section 106
The problems with section 106 agreements are primarily that they are negotiable and transferable. The fact that developers are able to negotiate their way out of what is agreed at planning (Section 106 agreement) through ‘viability assessments’ - often claiming the agreed provision of affordable housing is no longer viable - effectively holds projects and … Continue reading Viability Assessments and Section 106
Science Without Borders Students workshop at Central Hill
SWB is an international programme which has students visiting De Montfort University. DMU students have been based at Cressingham gardens from Jan to May 2015 (see other post) and this summer SWB students have been based at Central Hill. The students are working with residents to come up with ideas for improvements and refurbishments of the estate. … Continue reading Science Without Borders Students workshop at Central Hill
Cressingham Gardens: Pilot workshop on open spaces
Over the weekend of 13-14 June, as part of Open Garden Estates, ASH undertook a pilot workshop at Cressingham Gardens run by Georgie and Emily from Attic. This was focused on Cressingham's extensive green spaces and gave us a chance to be briefed by residents and members of the Save Cressingham Gardens campaign, and begin talking with … Continue reading Cressingham Gardens: Pilot workshop on open spaces
Simon Elmer 