Brunswick Estate, London
Built 1967-72
Designed by Patrick Hodgkinson
A residential and shopping centre in Bloomsbury, London which stands radically against the surrounding Georgian houses (some were demolished to make way for it).
It was designed by Patrick Hodgkinson as a modern London village with homes, a cinema, shops and health facilities.
However, the scheme quickly became unviable and the initial vision was compromised. This led to cheaper materials, smaller flats and leaks. Camden Council took over and it was predominantly used for council housing. The centre was never painted until a recent refurbishment. Now there is a Waitrose and a popular open air plaza.
“The fact that this has taken some 40 years is a sad illustration of how politics, business and neglect can ruin a utopian vision. But the Brunswick’s revival also suggests that some of British architecture’s radical experiments in the 1960s and 1970s were condemned far too quickly.” (Steve Rose)
It was one of the first brutalist buildings to be listed in 2000.
