Tim and Kev head to London to visit Highgate New Town, a 1970s social housing scheme designed by Hungarian-born architect Peter Tabori.

Over a cup of tea with architect and long-time resident Rachel Stevenson, they uncover the secret behind the development’s enduring success.

In the 1960s and ’70s, Camden became a testing ground for a new kind of socialhousing in London — one that valued community, good design, and human scale over high-rise efficiency. Under the leadership of visionary architects like Sydney Cook, the Camden Architects Department produced some of the most influential housing in postwar Britain, including schemes by Neave Brown, Benson and Forsyth, and Peter Tabori. Highgate New Town was one of these bold experiments, driven by the belief that public housing could be both socially progressive and architecturally ambitious. 

To view the full film – The White Flats - https://vimeo.com/917073596?share=copy

To check out the book – Cook’s Camden – The Making of Modern Housing -
https://isokongallery.org/products/cooks-camden-the-making-of-modern-housing

To check out the book – Modernist Estates – The Buildings and People Who Live In Them - https://www.thenile.com.au/books/stefi-orazi/modernist-
estates/9780711269262?srsltid=AfmBOoq45XQqD6qTV23sNHDZh6nTK0T6JnnCqKs0l
aLt5J43t6E1M89N

Tickets are now on sale for Kevin McCloud and Tim Ross – Live in Interesting Places –
check out the details on our website – http://bigdesignadventure.com/

 

You can find pictures and videos on our Instagram page - @big_design_adventure 

And be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)

We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on [email protected] 

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Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation). 

 

Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud

Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia. 

Executive Producer: Shelley Kemp 

Audio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk Media 

Video Production: Ned Williams

Music: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst) 

 

Please note this podcast is not currently available in the UK or Ireland. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.