The scheme which was the first major housing project built by the Smithsons, consisted of two blocks of 10 and 7 storeys and embodied ideas first published in their failed attempt to win the contract to build a scheme at Golden Lane Estate. The estate comprises two long curved blocks facing each other across a central green space, and in total covers 1.5 hectares. The 10-storey eastern block and 7-storey western block blocks are built from precast concrete slab blocks and at the time were considered to be constructed to the highest standards. Construction began in 1968, the first flats opened in 1971 and the scheme as a whole was completed in 1972 at a cost of £1,845,585. The flats themselves are a mixture of single-storey apartments and two-storey maisonettes, with two to six bedrooms. The maisonettes are designed with the bedrooms facing inwards shielding the residents from the traffic noise. A design feature was the wide balconies on every third floor. The concept is that they would become public space that would encourage interaction.
The eventual concession and approval to demolish the buildings saw Northeast start on site midway through 2017 with the demolition of a number of remaining terraced houses on the land. This early demolition work gave them the opportunity to install a hardstanding for site accommodation and much needed car parking space for the project. With the infrastructure works completed, the first phase of demolition works could be undertaken. As the properties had lain empty for a number of months they had attracted the usual attention of thieves and vandals who had incurred a major amount of damage to the structure including damage to asbestos cladding and insulation. The first task for the Northeast team was to undertake an environmental clean to remove any contaminants from the work areas before asbestos removal teams were able to commence their 4-month removal program.

It was during these initial works that Hills and Northeast were approached by the V&A museum with a rather strange request. The once much maligned Brutalist architecture is now being seen as a leading light in more modern forms of design and the V&A have decided to acknowledge this starting with Robin Hood Gardens.
The museum had originally asked Northeast for their assistance in removing 12 items of interest to which the demolition contractor was more than happy to oblige. This small amount was then raised to over 250 items with which the museum is looking at reinstating as a complete flat. Whilst the flats were in the control of the local authority, many tenants had undertaken various home improvement works over the lifespan of the buildings and the Northeast and Hills team were tasked with identifying original woodwork, doors and windows within the properties and removing them carefully for the museum to store.
With the asbestos strip out works completed, the soft strip teams embarked on the task of removing as much recyclable material from the properties as possible. Salvaging the soft-strip items required by the museum required slightly more finesse than most strip-out contracts but the team prevailed and have removed sufficient quantities of the uniquely moulded materials as possible. Whilst the internal items required for both the V&A in London and their counterpart in Venice were relatively simple to remove, the museums and the council also requested that some of the fabric of the building were to be retained with a view to the museum actually rebuilding a full, two storey maisonette at a later date.
The precast concrete frame of the buildings was in the main constructed at ground level before being craned into position. Unfortunately, a reversal of this process was not feasible and the demolition contractor was forced to look at alternative was of deconstructing a number of properties in a bid to salvage the concrete panels and fins. As many will know, the precast concrete of the late ‘60s and early 70’s hasn’t stood the test of time and many of the maisonettes panelling had suffered from water damage resulting in various points of the building having to be approached for the salvage. Using the services of a diamond driller, a hole was drilled to take a lifting eye and with the fins loosened from their retaining pins, they were removed from the panels using Northeast’s JCB JS360 high reach excavator equipped with short arm and check valves. The first attempt at removing a fin resulted in unwanted damage due to the fin being held into the panel recess with a large amount of polysulphide mastic which over the years had cured and formed an extremely strong bond between panel and fin. Subsequent fins were cleaned completely before any attempt at removal was undertaken with the results being ideal.
Whilst the time taken to remove the façade of the building impacted on the initial demolition program, the Northeast team commenced work on one end of the building to allow access for the high reach excavator once the salvage operation was completed. “We would have been much further along with the works if it wasn’t for the amount of salvage work we have had to carry out.” Explained Northeast’s Health and Safety Manager Ronnie Mould. “We have thought about a variety of methods for the removal of the fins and panels but the only logical one is this. There is very little weight in any of the materials with the heaviest being just 450kg.” Site Manager Mathew (Murf) Atkinson has been instrumental in the overseeing of the facade removal and it has been his knowledge and experience which has made the difficult task that little bit easier.
With the removal and storage of over 50 fins to undertake, the company will endeavour to remove them as quickly as possible to allow the remainder of their work to start. The inclusion of the re-built structure at the V&A will be an insight into what was deemed a successful social experiment in the 1960s. Northeast Demolition are rightly proud to be helping to save this little piece of history but are even happier that their work will allow residents of the East End to have more modern living accommodation.