Council Housing, Balfron Tower, Bow, Greater London

Photograph taken 01 January 2007 © Mr Stewart Monk. Source Historic England Archive ref: 469483

This tower block was designed in 1963 by Erno Goldfinger for the London County Council. It was built by the Greater London Council in 1965-7 in St Leonards Road. It was built from reinforced concrete with timber cladding to the balconies and an asphalt flat roof. It contained 136 one and two bedroomed flats and ten maisonettes arranged on 26 floors. The homes are linked to a detached service tower by corridors at every third floor. The tower contained lifts, rubbish chutes, laundry rooms and had a boiler and chimneys on the top. This tower block is similar to Trellick Tower in Kensington and Chelsea. They were the best designed tower blocks of many built in this period. However, by the 1970s, the whole idea of housing families in tall tower blocks was being questioned.

Location

Greater London Bow

Period

1960s (1960 - 1969)

Themes

After the second World War London had a such a severe housing shortage that it was decided to encourage people to move out. New towns such as Harlow were planned and built. These terraced houses were built in 1952 - 53 and provided with car ports.

Council Housing, Balfron Tower, Bow, Greater London

Location

Period

Themes

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