‘Depressions are when the monopolies see their profits increased, and when they consolidate their economic empire, absorbing all the small ones, all the sardines in this ocean of economic struggle.’ — Ernesto Guevara 1. Capitalising on the Coronavirus Crisis Capitalism, in basic terms, means that capital is more valuable to a society than the workers … Continue reading COVID-19 and Capitalism
The Future of St. Raphael’s Estate: Design Options by Karakusevic Carson Architects and their role in the consultation of residents by Brent Council
‘Residents should be closely involved in shaping the priorities for estate regeneration and options for achieving these priorities. To achieve this, options appraisals should be open and transparent. They should assess the full range of social, economic, and environmental costs and benefits of different options.’ — Better Homes for Local People: The Mayor’s Good Practice Guide … Continue reading The Future of St. Raphael’s Estate: Design Options by Karakusevic Carson Architects and their role in the consultation of residents by Brent Council
Saving St. Raphael’s Estate: ASH presentation to residents, St. Patrick’s Church
On Tuesday, 25 February, at the invitation of the campaign to save St. Raphael’s estate from demolition by Brent council, Architects for Social Housing gave a presentation to residents of the estate. At the start of the meeting we asked for a show of hands, and we counted 64 residents from St. Raphael’s estate present, … Continue reading Saving St. Raphael’s Estate: ASH presentation to residents, St. Patrick’s Church
The Campaign for St. Raphael’s Estate: Fighting a Social and Environmental Disaster
St. Raphael’s estate is built on land between the North Circular Road and the River Brent in Stonebridge and Neasden, North-west London. The housing is a mix of maisonettes in 4-storey blocks, flats in low-rise blocks, bungalows and, in the earlier development to the east, terraced town-houses provide 1,174 homes for over 3,000 people (below). … Continue reading The Campaign for St. Raphael’s Estate: Fighting a Social and Environmental Disaster
St. Raphael’s Estate: ASH presentation to the Bartlett School of Architecture (housing design research workshop)
In April 2019 Architects for Social Housing was invited by Murray Fraser, Professor of Architecture and Global Culture and Vice-Dean of Research at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, to be part of an experts group to advise his team in the Centre for London Urban Design (CLOUD) on a design research project being … Continue reading St. Raphael’s Estate: ASH presentation to the Bartlett School of Architecture (housing design research workshop)
The Fight for Montreal Square: Questions and Strategies for Housing Campaigners
In September 2018 Architects for Social Housing received a letter from the Residents Association of Montreal Square in Cambridge (above) asking for advice on opposing the demolition and redevelopment of its 18-homes for social rent by the landlord, Cambridge Housing Society (CHS). The following month I went to talk to residents, and over a 3-hour … Continue reading The Fight for Montreal Square: Questions and Strategies for Housing Campaigners
Under Capitalism: Second Manifesto of Architects for Social Housing
Party politics in the UK is over, at least for the next five years and probably for far longer. For the fourth time in ten years the UK electorate has voted a Conservative Prime Minister into power, this time with the largest parliamentary majority since 1987 and at the head of the most right-wing cabinet … Continue reading Under Capitalism: Second Manifesto of Architects for Social Housing
What Does The General Election Mean?
‘What looks like politics, and imagines itself to be political, will one day unmask itself as a religious movement.’ — Kierkegaard Apart from a handful of loyal Corbynites still clutching at the sinking raft of the electoral Medusa, the MPs in what’s left of the Parliamentary Labour Party, as well as the Labour candidates who … Continue reading What Does The General Election Mean?
For a Socialist Architecture: Lectures at 221A, Vancouver
For a Socialist Architecture can be downloaded here. PREFACE Over the summer of 2019, as part of ASH’s research fellowship with 221A, we took up a month’s residency in Vancouver, Canada. Over four lectures held on Friday afternoons between 19 July and 9 August, we presented our thoughts about the necessity and possibility of a … Continue reading For a Socialist Architecture: Lectures at 221A, Vancouver
After Labour
General Election Results this Decade 2010 (29,687,604 votes on a 65.1% turnout) Conservative Party: 10,703,754 votes (306 seats) Labour Party: 8,609,527 votes (258 seats) Liberal Democrat Party: 6,836,824 votes (57 seats) Scottish National Party: 491,386 votes (6 seats) Green Party: 285,616 votes (1 seat) Democratic Unionist Party: 168,216 votes (8 seats) Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government … Continue reading After Labour