Housing and Architecture - 50 Years of the Golden Lane Estate

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HOUSING AND ARCHITECTURE: 50 YEARS OF THE GOLDEN LANE ESTATE 20 February - 14 March 2009 Runs concurrently with Barbican Art Gallery's exhibition, Le Corbusier - The Art of Architecture Organised by EXHIBIT at Golden Lane Estate and CLAWSA (Cities of London and Westminster Society of Architects, www.clawsa.org) A retrospective of the Golden Lane Estate (1957-1962), predecessor of the Barbican Estate, both highly regarded as the significant contribution to the British Modernism. Featuring original designs, sketches and archive materials generously donated by the architect's family, colleagues from the Chamberlin, Powell and Bon Studio, and estate residents especially for the exhibition. Two events will establish a forum for the exchange of expertise and experience of living in this architecturally iconic estate for architects, residents and the public: 1. Formal Opening 20th Feb. 2009 (Friday) 7 - 9pm Speech by Frank Woods (partner of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon Studios) with introduction from Yanki Lee, Founder of EXHIBIT and Azar Djamali, CLAWSA President. 2. Exhibition talk: ‘Ville Radieuse or Mod Picturesque' 11th Mar. 2009 (Wednesday) 7:30 - 8:30pm Talk by Fred Scott (Golden Lane Estate resident, architectural critic, author of ‘On Altering Architecture' with an upcoming exhibition ‘Le Corbusier: Dream of Flight') in discussion with Andrew Higgott (author of Mediating Modernism) and representatives of residents from the Estate. Scott's talk will trace the influences on the Estate, with particular reference to Le Corbusier's book La Ville Radieuse of 1935, as well as other influences closer to home, in particular the writers, architects and photographers associated with the Architectural Review in the 1940's and 50's. About Golden Lane Estate Built between 1957-1962, Golden Lane Estate was designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, and is today widely recognised as being of special architectural and historical interest. Being part of the significant post war reconstruction of the heart of the mile ends, it was undoubtedly also highly influential in the development of the later Barbican Estate. As one of the early exemplars of British Modernist Architecture, this dazzling housing complex, originally intended to accommodate key workers in the city area, has been undergoing transformation during the course of its life, became ‘Grade II listed' in 1997 and received the Housing Design Award in 2008.