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The Broadway Estate in Tilbury, nearThurrock, Essex, is typical of manycouncil housing estates built by localauthorities during the 1960s and 1970s.Consisting of largely two-storey, flat-roofed terraces of family homes placedaround a large, open, green space, theestate is bounded on its northern edgeby three medium-rise tower blocks. As isthe case with very many of these large-scale, postwar housing developments,time has not been kind to the BroadwayEstate, and the initial street layout hasproven to be less than successful. TheModernist ideas of space and light,thought to be the saviour of mass

housing, have been shoddilyimplemented and have led to theabandonment of the public spaces, suchas the large green and the widefootpaths and alleys, and to residentsfeeling no sense of ownership.Alongside the failure of the design ofthe estate is the again very familiar taleof increasing unemployment andbenefit dependency.

It was within this rather inhospitableenvironment that architectural firmSergison Bates was asked to provide asmall intervention that wouldtransform a particularly tricky plot intoa safer, better-loved space. A young firm

founded in 1996, Sergison Bates haswon several awards for its work. A keeninterest in the quality of the spaces itdesigns is matched by a thorough andinnovative interest in the nature of thematerials used. The range of scale of thepractice’s projects – from modest single-family dwellings to large-scale urbanplanning solutions – is alwaysapproached with care and sensitivity forthe end user and the environment inwhich the architects find themselves.

The site within the estate was a smallarea that, due to the layout of thesurrounding streets, was well hiddenfrom outside observers and as such was

Home Run

Adelaide Court

A modest housing block for a run-down estate in Essex presented London-based SergisonBates Architects with the opportunity to explore the cohesive effects of an assisted self-build scheme for a group of young tenants. Bruce Stewart describes the practice’sstrategic thinking behind the project and how the design intentions were, to some extent,frustrated by external forces.

Sergison Bates, Adelaide Court, Broadway Estate, Tilbury, Thurrock, Essex, 2003The materials chosen for the front of the courtyard area have matured well andtherefore highlight a level of detailing and care missing in the newer infill blockserected without the input of Sergison Bates.

a prime area for drug taking andunderage drinking. Working with theNew Islington and Hackney, and theNew Essex, housing associations (nowknown as Mosaic Housing), the schemewas the first phase of a largerregeneration programme envisaged forthe community. After discussions withthe agencies involved, and as part of the‘New Deal for Communities’ initiative,it was thought most appropriate thatthe scheme should focus on the verydisenfranchised youth of the estate forwhom there were little or no amenitiesor targeted housing units – a deficiencythat was leading to a migration of theyoung out of the area.

Once the end users had beenidentified it was then a naturalprogression for the architects toconsider how the process ofarchitecture could further help thetargeted group and give them skills and,hopefully, the confidence to try to breakfree from the despondency that beingyoung and unemployed can create. Thescheme was therefore designed aroundthe idea of the prospective residents

being heavily involved in theconstruction of the new flats – a processknown as assisted self-build – alongsideattendance at a local community collegeto gain skills and qualifications. In orderto keep their benefits, those who signedup had to commit to attending collegeand to working alongside the maincontractor on the building of the flats.

It was the hope of both thearchitects and the housing associationsthat allowing the residents tophysically contribute to the creation oftheir own homes would encourage asense of pride, independence andcommunity. But the process wasdifficult. Of the original 12 people whoagreed to help build the scheme, onlyfour managed to complete the project.Several fell by the wayside, due to therealisation that, in order to end upwith their own new flat, a great deal ofhard work was needed not only in therelative comfort of a college classroom,but also in the much moreuncomfortable conditions of a buildingsite in winter. Others left the schemebecause they had found full-time

employment or, in one or two cases,because they were sent to prison.

Although this was the first plot thatSergison Bates was asked to look at, twofurther plots within the estate werebrought on board. Though in the endthese were developed by other agencies,at the outset they helped form thestrategic thinking of the Sergison Batesscheme. The inclusion of morebuildings, and the fact that there was tobe a large element of unskilled labour(the new residents), dictated theconstruction technology for the site.The choice of prefabricated panelswithin a frame structure was greatlyinfluenced by the increased number ofbuildings, creating an economy of scaleparticularly suited to an assisted self-build project. The size of the plot wassuch that, in order to maximise itspotential, two levels of small unitswould be provided with a courtyardspace for the tenants to inhabit anddevelop. Although the existing buildingssurrounding the site are of very littlearchitectural merit, the planningrequirements of the local authoritymeant the existing height and buildinglines had to be replicated in the newbuilding, it effectively becoming thetermination of an existing terrace.

While the planners had imposedconstraints on height and so on, thechoice of a timber-framed structureallowed the architects to engage withthe materials that would define thenature of the building. It is one of thepractice’s primary philosophical goals tohandle materials with clarity and rigouralongside well thought out constructionprocesses. The orientation of the west-facing site, along with the interest inmaterials, defined the site layout, thenew building lying on the eastern edgein order to leave space for thecourtyard. The basic structure of thenew building is a stiff box, slightlyraised from ground level, with pilesrather than traditional foundations dueto the very marshy nature of the area.The western face of the building wasthen formed from a wood-clad verandathat shelters the entrances to theindividual flats, with the vertical

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From the upper-level access of the 2003 building, views out across the industrial landscape thatsurrounds the estate are quite striking. The wooden cladding of this elevation has matured well, as has asparse amount of planting. It can only be hoped that the newer blocks, one of which can be seen here inthe near background, will mature as well.

circulation attached to the front of it.The overhanging roof provides someweather screening. The remaining threesides of the building were then clad inan unfinished cement weatherboard.This was originally left untreated toprovide a strong identity for the newintervention – a positive visualreminder that change can be for thebetter. The slight differences in colourand how the board would weather werealso intended to add to this identity.

The fact that the two extra plots werenot in the end part of Sergison Bates’project drastically reduced the viabilityof having a completely prefabricatedsystem, and partially prefabricatedpanels that had then to be finished onsite were used instead. This shift fromthe original plan had several knock-oneffects, adding to the cost of thebuilding and reducing its thermalintegrity. And changes due to thediffering perspectives of the housing

association client and the designers alsoaltered the internal layout of the units.Initially, Sergison Bates had wanted toleave the internal space free ofpartitioning to create a loft-like spacethat the new residents could adapt anduse according to their individual needs.However, the client disagreed on thegrounds that since the tenure of theunits was to be 100 per cent rental, itwas likely that the original occupantswould move on, and thus a moretraditional plan layout with separatekitchen and bedroom spaces waspreferred – a pity, as the opportunity foryoung people to experiment withdomestic space has been lost to thepragmatics of what a landlord thinks iseasiest for itself.

It was hoped that the creation of thecourtyard would enable the youngresidents to take ownership of theexternal element of the site and,through doing so, create a smallcommunity. Unfortunately, this has notbeen as successful as hoped for, due inpart to the lack of money to plant thespace in such a way as to encourage itsuse. In addition, the insertion of thenew housing block, which is gated toprevent casual passers-by using what isto all intents and purposes a privatecourtyard space, has meant the removalof a short cut through the site, from the

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While the new blocks, which were taken to planning approval stage bySergison Bates but then handed over to other agencies, have traces of theoriginal – seen in the background – they lack its detailing and attention tomaterials. Lights and television aerials are rather thoughtlessly tacked on.

The new block on Adelaide Road has been shoehorned into a small spaceoverlooking one of the unloved public green spaces that are scatteredthroughout the estate. The echoes of Adelaide Court are clear, but care in thesite planning is missing, with the stairs to the upper level abutting a harshmetal fence.

estate to the nearby mainline railwaystation. Many of the residents havetaken exception to this and vandalisedthe gates and fences.

And in another move, which couldalmost be an act of vandalism also, thelandlords have painted over the exposedcement weatherboarding that clad theback and sides of the building,removing the individuality of theproject and leaving an anonymousmagnolia block, while also adding to the

maintenance costs for the building. Nevertheless, Adelaide Court is a

very attractive and well-designedproject that has tried to engage withhow architecture and construction canhelp to mend fractured communities.Had Sergison Bates developed the othertwo plots alongside it, the benefit forthe estate would have been much moreapparent. Though these sites wereinvestigated by the architects andtaken to planning approval stage, they

were given to other agencies to developand are currently being completed.Almost three years after thecompletion of the initial project, in2003, it is sad to say that, while theoriginal building by Sergison Bates hasbeen used as a template for the newinfill buildings, they are very poorimitations. Whilst Adelaide Court dealtwith ideas of densification and thesensitive handling of materials, thenew dwellings have been poorlydetailed and their positioning on thesites available to them is awkward tosay the least. The increased availabilityof affordable housing is, of course,something to be welcomed, especiallyin run-down and neglected areas suchas the Broadway Estate, but it is a greatshame that such a good model shouldbe undermined by a lack of sensitivity.Here, the ideas explored by SergisonBates have been misinterpreted at best,and ignored at worst. 4

Bruce Stewart is currently researching and writingThe Architects’ Navigation Guide to New Housing,to be published in early 2007 by Wiley-Academy.He trained as an architect and is currently acollege teacher at the Bartlett School ofArchitecture, UCL London.

Text © 2006 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Images © Jonny Muirhead

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The assisted self-build scheme of 2003 was to help young people into theirfirst homes. The scheme was 100 per cent rental with no equity for theresidents. Having gained planning approval for the remaining sites, the end-user base has changed, along with the quality. These units are now beingpresented as a shared-ownership scheme by the housing association.

The original finish to the building was unpainted grey cement board, withindividual variations that would have become more explicit with weathering.The housing association has taken the unfortunate decision to paint over thisboarding, not only adding to the maintenance costs of the building, but actuallymaking it stand out from its neighbours more than was previously the case.