Abstract

In the mid 1950s the general manager of Peterlee New Town took the unconventional decision to invite abstract artist Victor Pasmore to become consultant urban designer for the new town.  This despite no formal training or previous experience.  For the next 20 years Pasmore developed an alternative urban orthodoxy in the town’s SW Area: redefining public/private delineation, introducing ambiguity of ‘fronts’ and ‘backs’, and deploying bold use of landscape according to a new approach he called Total Environment.  Much subsequently written about Peterlee focusses on its first architect-planner Berthold Lubetkin, his development frustrations, and his failure to see his vision realised.  Where Pasmore’s involvement is documented, this tends to consider Peterlee as a footnote to his artistic career, or to focus on his most famous local contribution – the Apollo Pavilion.  

This presentation considers Pasmore’s SW Area housing schemes in detail, and argues that – despite subsequent dilution of its architectural language - its urban legacy is quietly radical, confronting prevailing wisdoms of streetscape and defensible space, and offering a still-relevant, alternative generosity in respect of public realm.  For the next 20 years Pasmore developed an alternative urban orthodoxy in the town’s SW Area: redefining public/private delineation, introducing ambiguity of ‘fronts’ and ‘backs’, and deploying bold use of landscape according to a new approach he called Total Environment. 

Much subsequently written about Peterlee focusses on its first architect-planner Berthold Lubetkin, his development frustrations, and his failure to see his vision realised.  Where Pasmore’s involvement is documented, this tends to consider Peterlee as a footnote to his artistic career, or to focus on his most famous local contribution – the Apollo Pavilion.  This presentation considers Pasmore’s SW Area housing schemes in detail, and argues that – despite subsequent dilution of its architectural language - its urban legacy is quietly radical, confronting prevailing wisdoms of streetscape and defensible space, and offering a still-relevant, alternative generosity in respect of public realm. 

Biography

Alison Davies is an assistant professor at the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment at the University of Nottingham, where she runs architectural design studio unit 5A.  Her research interests include the post-war New Towns movement, social housing, and the definition of territory in the public realm.  She is also an award-winning architect in practice, and founder partner of Nottingham-based Urban Fabric Architects.