Community Architecture

Snow Hill, Bath

Layout• Nine Houses

• Chelsea, Dover, Walcot, Myrtle, Inman, Cathcart, Longacre, Snow Hill and Berkeley

• Myrtle House renamed as Saffron Court prior to private sale – now housing association

• Whole area along the London Road named after parts of London – Hanover, Piccadilly, Chelsea.

Chelsea

Walcot

Dover

Myrtle / Saffron Court

Inman

Cathcart

Long Acre

Snow Hill House

Berkeley

Background

• Award winning Estate –Civic Trust Award

• Decline in community and some architectural decay in 1980s

• Community Architecture used effectively

• Shift from selected coucil tenants to housing for the homeless noticeable

The problem estate?

• Bath has a good reputation but attracts social problems like any other city

• Majority housed in two areas – Snow Hill and Twerton

• Problems were antisocial, issues of fly tipping and use of open spaces.

The Solution

1. Identity – through colour

2. Defensible Space = pride

Even at the rear of some blocks

In some case this meant new access arrangements [front of same block]

3. Removal of through access

Stair well to all Landings to provide‘ramped access’

Now replaced with Individual steps

Communal laundrylost

4. New Facilities

• Entry phones and concierge service

• Play park reworked

Social

• Centralised recycling facility• Community Centre

Synthesis• Change in

Government policy + unsuccessful privatisation

• Identity through colour

• Defensible Space• Removal of through

access• New Facilities

= SUCCESSFUL

Photos – Mark OLLIS