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TRELLICK TOWER BUILDING ANALYSIS
from Rediscovering the link between British New Brutalism and Post War Soviet Architecture - Joe Earley
Ernő Goldfingers Trellick Tower stands 98m tall, towering over the borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Constructed in 1972 and homing 217 flats, Trellick tower came about after a need to replace the poor-quality Victorian housing that occupied the area.
Based upon his earlier work of Balfron Tower in Tower Hamlets, Goldfinger took up residence and sought feedback from residents to determine their likes and dis- likes about the design, and how their views could be incorporated into the new Trellick Tower.
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His design philosophy for building high rise construction was justified by saying:
“The whole object of building high is to free the ground for children and grown-ups to enjoy Mother Earth and not to cover every inch with bricks and mortar”
However, it became a cesspool of crime, vandalism, drug abuse and prostitution, helping to stigmatise the perception of brutalist buildings in the late 1970’s.
The towers fate and status began to gradually improve through the 1980’s when new security measures were brought in to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour. By the 1990s, the tower had become a desirable place to live, with flats being sold at a value of £150,000 (equivalent to £260,000 today).
Awards and commendations
Trellick Tower was awarded Grade II Listed Status in 1998, meaning that it is classed as having “Special Interest, warranting every effort to preserve it”. This means that permission from the local or national authorities is needed before any modifications or repairs that differ from the original specification are undertaken. (What does grade 2 listed mean, n.d.) this can make repairs, modifications or upgrades difficult to be completed, however, as the majority of the building is still Council Housing, the residents are, for the most part, unaffected by this.
The majority of the block was designed as social housing, but with Margret Thatcher introducing the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme in the 1980 Housing act, a number of people acquired their flats. Originally, all 217 flats were social housing, owned and operated by the Greater London Council.
Trellick tower’s burgeoning iconic status has resulted in it being featured in a number of Film and Television programs, most recently by the Netflix show ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’. It is also the backdrop for many music videos of the London band Gorillaz, namely “Sleeping Powder” and “Tomorrow Comes Today”. It also featured as the cover art from the Extended Play “Meanwhile”.
