The 2021 Jane Drew Prize winner has helped submit a list utility urging Historic England to defend Rosemary Stjernstedt’s 450-home Central Hill estate in Gypsy Hill. A earlier bid by The Twentieth Century Society was rejected in 2016.
It comes because the council prepares for the primary part of Central Hill’s regeneration, pulling down four-storey hostel Truslove House on Roman Rise, and changing it with 31 new properties designed by Greenwich-based follow BTPW.
The constructing is already wrapped in hoarding prepared to be demolished, however residents on the estate hope they will nonetheless persuade Historic England to step in.
Macintosh informed the AJ: ‘It can be Lambeth’s first early transfer within the execution of their intent to demolish the Central Hill estate in its entirety, which is why robust opposition is urgently referred to as for, whereas the appliance for itemizing is into account by Historic England.’
The architect defined that Truslove House was designed as lodging for nurses working at Norwood District Hospital and that Stjernstedt personally took on its design.
‘Her session with the matrons and nurses led to a choice to embody shared services corresponding to kitchens, washing services and a lounge space with backyard entry throughout the scheme.’
The Truslove House scheme was accepted in October, however an estate-wide masterplan has nonetheless not been drawn up for rebuilding regardless of it being earmarked for demolition since 2016.
Macintosh stated that Lambeth, in its utility to redevelop Truslove House, was looking for to keep away from a ‘blitzkreig’ of complete website clearance and as a substitute to ‘step by step erode and nibble, taking out a tree right here and a block there’. She added: ‘In this manner, they hope to scale back opposition, dangerous publicity and generate fatalism amongst the residents.
‘That the destruction of this lodging, designed by a lady for ladies, will be contemplated because the dedication and sacrifices of NHS nurses and the debt we owe to them is within the forefront of the general public consciousness illustrates how ruthless Lambeth is ready to be in looking for to erase the legacy of the Hollamby years.’
Ted Hollamby was Lambeth’s director of structure, planning and growth from 1969 to 1981.
BPTW’s Roman Rise scheme – view alongside central hill
Lambeth has confronted related opposition to its ‘piecemeal demolition’ at close by Cressingham Gardens, on the sting of Brockwell Park, the place it’s pulling down 12 properties on Ropers Walk for a brand new constructing by Conran and Partners.
In its rejection of the 2016 itemizing bid, Historic England stated that though Central Hill represented an early exploration of Le Corbusier’s ‘hill city’ idea in England, it lacked ‘the mixture of finely construed architectural items, built-in right into a artistic and complicated plan’.
The new utility challenges the choice and argues that Stjernstedt is now gaining recognition as one of the crucial essential post-war British architects.
It counters Historic England’s assertion that Central Hill’s design was not ‘unique’ or influential by mentioning that it was accomplished three years earlier than Benson & Forsyth’s celebrated Branch Hill, additionally constructed right into a slope in north London and listed II* in 2010.
One of essentially the most hanging variations between the 2 estates is the maintenance, the report argues, with upkeep of Central Hill ‘shut to non-existent’ for a few years in stark distinction to the stainless state of Branch Hill.
‘Could it’s that fame and status of Benson and Forsyth after profitable the competitors for the Museum of Scotland in 1996, in distinction to the relative obscurity of Rosemary Stjernstedt and the present situation of Central Hill led to the totally different ultimate suggestions?’ the report asks.
It additionally factors to the environmental price of demolishing the estate, pointing to Historic England’s personal Heritage Counts report which argues that the restore and reuse of historic buildings is materially much less carbon intensive than demolition.
‘Listing Central Hill means defending Central Hill from demolition, but in addition presents alternatives for community-focused refurbishment. Residents are looking for a low-carbon retrofit of Central Hill, in keeping with the Heritage Counts report.
‘This may embody air-source warmth pumps, hardwood window frames and wooden wool insulation. Ensuring that the supplies and methods used to obtain a extra sustainable Central Hill within the brief time period is essential; particularly in keeping with Lambeth Council’s ambition of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030.’
The Twentieth Century Society had opposed the demolition of Truslove House, writing in its objection letter: ‘We recognise that flexibility and compromise can be wanted to ensure that Central Hill to be efficiently refurbished as social housing, probably involving the substitute of peripheral buildings of lesser significance.
‘However we take into account that this must be justified as a part of an estate-wide technique, fairly than the piecemeal strategy proven on this utility. Without any indication of the long-term way forward for the estate at this stage, we can’t see {that a} balanced judgement will be made concerning the extent of hurt these proposals would trigger to the estate’s significance.’
In 2019, Lambeth Council introduced it was taking the whole regeneration of the Central Hill estate in south London again in-house, to be led by its personal growth firm Homes for Lambeth, after ditching contractor Mace.
In 2014, the council appointed PRP to draw up choices for a ‘higher-density’ redevelopment of the Central Hill estate, however the plans weren’t taken ahead.
Historic England confirmed it had obtained an utility for itemizing and was contemplating the case. Lambeth Council was approached for remark.
