Post-war British urban planning gets a bad press. The idealism of these bold new projects, promising progressive approaches to providing a burgeoning, rapidly modernising population with sustainable housing and amenities, was commonly criticised by the 1960s and ‘70s as its flaws became clearer. Yet in recent years, the view of this wave of social architecture, with its new towns, tower blocks and Brutalist design, has been revised a little. It was imperfect, sure, but not without value. So, is it time we challenged the many criticisms that have been levelled at places like this?
Brutalism is perhaps this period’s most iconic legacy. Favouring utility over a cosy or homely aesthetic, Brutalist buildings are unmistakably angular and severe. Although this may not be to everyone’s tastes, many people have come to appreciate the stark, functional beauty of these structures. As the writer and filmmaker Jonathan Meades wrote in 2014, “challenging, idealistic and serious, Brutalism is architecture for grown-ups.”
For some great examples of the Brutalist design of new towns, simply take a stroll around Hatfield’s renowned town centre.
Another reason that we should perhaps reappraise new towns like Hatfield is that, quite simply, so many of us live in them. In London’s commuter belt alone, Letchworth, Welwyn, Milton Keynes, Basildon, Harlow, Stevenage, and more are significantly comprised of new town urban planning. Many of these towns combine their blocky futurism with the traditional architecture of the historic hamlets and villages at their core; we at Remus Uomo appreciate such boundary-blurring juxtapositions, and the pursuit of an effective balance of future-forward techniques and classic elegance is a key concern for our new AW18 collection.
New towns, and the striking schools of design that they carried with them, are vital artefacts of mid-20th century urban planning. Their aesthetic and social influence continues to cast a long shadow over British life, and their boldness, imperfect or otherwise, deserves celebration.
