Angell Town
Brixton, London
This entirely social housing scheme is a radical redevelopment of a Lambeth Council 'groundscraper' 4 and 5 storey estate finished in 1978, which from its inception had serious problems of crime and unsociability.
The regeneration scheme, initiated by residents in 1987, has taken many years to complete, and is an outstanding example of community-led design and of architects working closely with residents to produce livable and well-liked built forms. The project involved an academic institution, masterplanners and five architects’ firms and received large amounts of grant funding. Now refurbished blocks on the estate’s edges have been dramatically reorganised with vertical circulation rather than walkways, and central blocks have been completely replaced by new, mostly three-storey, houses accessed from the street, reinterpreting the character of the surrounding 19th century terraces and villas. The most recently finished block of 18 flats (designed by Anne Thorne Architects) has an Eco-Homes rating of Excellent, as does an innovative assisted self-build for rent block presently approaching completion. The scheme has won several awards and accolades since 1989.
