Comments on: Return To Robin Hood Gardens

By: Jane williamson

Jane williamson — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 19:42:26 +0000

By a strange coincidence I am reading The New East End- Kinship, race and Conflict’ which is a sequel 50 years on to ‘Family and Kinship in East London’. (Published in 2006). The book analyses the enormous changes that have taken place in Tower Hamlets over the last 60 years as it looks at the communities as they are now and were then. Changes in housing policy, changes in employment,especially the loss of the traditional dock employment, and increased immigration.

Even though changes have continued since the book was published these posts complement the book in a most satisfying way and couldn’t have come at a better time for me.

By: Franco

Franco — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 09:07:24 +0000

It is the valuing of property over communities and people that has gotten us into this mess here and all across london.

By: Joan

Joan — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 09:57:34 +0000

The tragedy is that some people like living in Robin Hood Gardens and that the building could be done up but really it is too late. A miasm of social problems, including anti-social behaviour, plus lack of investment in repairs has brought on the wrecking ball. A failed experiment in modernism but at least the light and the green space were appreciated by some.

Families need to live on a human scale. What the architects didn’t realise was that lots of people couldn’t thrive in these arty concrete environments. Garden cities were a much better solution to social housing needs but people still need to live in big commercial cities too. Social housing is needed to keep the city alive. Well built, low rise social housing is much better for families IMO. Though a lot of recent builds lack character.

By: Robert Green

Robert Green — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 07:50:21 +0000

“Someone threw a bag of rubbish over the balcony that landed on the ground below and I laughed”, was this blatant act of anti social behaviour by a resident of Robin Hood Gardens a reaction to a declaration of “class war” being instigated against them ? or maybe it was a perfectly justifiable act of defiance against the policy of “social cleansing” being implemented against these unfortunate people, or was it simply a natural reaction to the oppression of the defenceless Proletariat that is being unjustly imposed upon them by the Bourgeoise ? OR, = could it possibly be a lazy selfish act of vandalism perpetrated by someone with NO regard for not only their own surroundings but also the environment and living conditions of those living around them ? but then again, as some people will be only to quick to tell you, the appalling circumstances of their living conditions cant possibly be a consequence of their own LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY can it ? CAN IT ? isn’t it always the fault of SOMEONE ELSE ?