Edited for distribution (see p.x) The construction of plausibility in architectural design and inhabitation Elecronic Deposit Volume One Paul Wright PhD thesis, November 2010 Aberystwyth University Original submission, April 2010 Examined, August 2010 i. Declarations: This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed ...................................................................... (candidate) Date ........................................................................ Statement One: This thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by footnotes giving explicit references. A bibliography is appended. Signed ..................................................................... (candidate) Date ........................................................................ Statement Two: I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed ..................................................................... (candidate) Date .............................................................. ii ii. Abstract: This thesis outlines how architecture can be considered as an accumulation of plausibility. The term plausibility is used herein to mean what architecture is understood to be capable of, and what architecture‟s limits are understood to be. In-depth archival analysis is used to discuss such understandings from three noted architects, Charles F. A. Voysey, Charles Holden, and Berthold Lubetkin. Additionally, in-depth interviews have been undertaken with those people who currently live or work in the buildings that these architects designed. Consideration is given to the reasoning and analysis that the architects applied to the question of a building‟s plausible capability in terms of how future inhabitants and inhabitations could be affected by their efforts. The reasoning and analysis of inhabitants is similarly drawn upon in order to detail their consideration as to how and by what means it is plausible for them to be influenced by the architecture of the buildings they experience. A consistent onus on plausibility, and a concurrent understanding that plausibility is produced through an analytical capacity of both inhabitation and architectural production, is reiterated throughout, aiming to demonstrate that the inhabitation of buildings is a potentially proficient field in terms of the analysis that inhabitants can bring to their experiences, a property often overlooked by the geographical literature on architecture, but one which can make important additions to our understanding of what the experience of buildings might involve. A further necessary degree of complexity is added by recognising the time elapsed between the production of the buildings in question and their current inhabitation. The construction of plausibility in architectural design and inhabitation Paul Wright iii iii. Contents: Volume One i. Declarations ii ii. Abstract iii iii. Contents iv iv. Acknowledgements v v. Image credits vii vi. Glossary and referencing notes viii vi(b). Preface to the Electronic Deposit edition x 1. Introduction and literature 1 2. Methodology 50 3. Voysey 89 Volume Two 4. Holden 172 5. Lubetkin 251 6. Conclusion 310 vii. References 324 viii. Appendix 334 viii(b). Appendix – Electronic Deposit edition 338 iv iv. Acknowledgements: This thesis, and my candidature, had to be recovered from the damage caused by appalling personal circumstances. This task fell to my supervisors, whose efforts went far beyond what would normally be called for, and whose support and patience seems without apparent limit. For them, I reserve my most heartfelt thanks... Dr. Deborah Dixon Dr. Pete Merriman For my personal recovery, I would like to thank the staff at Bronglais General Hospital, with particular thanks to the Intensive Care Unit team, and especially.... Dr. Mark Narain Mr. Dave Jackson For caring intensely and getting me through the last year... Laura Routley And to my family, who have supported me throughout even when my doctoral commitments meant I couldn‟t always support them during some very difficult times*, thanks to... Sue, Tony, Nina and Anya Wright, and Neil Crannage Special thanks to my granddad, Ted Wright. Two benefactors also deserve mention for their kind support. Kathleen Clift and Rachel Ross. v And, of course, my sincere thanks to all of my interviewees, whose generosity not only made this project possible, but a real pleasure. I would also like to thank the staff at the R.I.B.A Manuscripts and Archives Reading Room, the staff of the University of London, the volunteer staff of the Winsford Centre, the staff of Acanthus Lawrence and Wrightson Architects, the staff of the Piccadilly and Northern Lines of the London Underground, and to Albanne Spyriou and her colleagues as the TfL Press Office. Finally, in alphabetical order, my thanks to... Paul Anderson Joanna Anderson Laura Brighten Steven Cadman Prof. Tim Creswell Dr. Jesse Heley Dr. J. Graham Jones Dr. Rhys Jones Sasha Lubetkin Dr. Kelvin Mason Dr. Robert Mayhew Dr. Adrian Smith Dr. Steph Ward Prof. Mike Woods My doctoral research was generously funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, ref: PTA-030-2003-00590. *For Andrew, and for Muriel. vi v. Image credits: All photographs were taken by the author except those that appear in the list below. All images have been made available for public download and re-use by the original author by means of an attribution non-commercial share-alike licence, except figure 3.1 which is made available by the author under an attribution share-alike licence. 3.1: Voysey House (rear elevation), Steve Cadman, 12th April 2007 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/456881489/] (accessed 25th April 2010) 4.7 Bristol Central Library (entrance hall), Steve Cadman, 13th December 2008 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/3104544906/in/set-72157612970028704/] (accessed 25th April 2010) 4.8: Bristol Central Library (stairwell), Steve Cadman, 13th December 2008 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/3103717129/in/set-72157612970028704/] (accessed 25th April 2010) 4.9 Bristol Central Library (reading room), Steve Cadman, 13th December 2008 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/3103720805/in/set-72157612970028704/] (accessed 25th April 2010) 5.1 Highpoint One (rear elevation), Steve Cadman, 28th March 2009 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/3393669870/] (accessed 25th April 2010) 5.2 Highpoint Two (rear elevation), Steve Cadman, 28th March 2009 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/3392851097/] (accessed 25th April 2010) vii vi. Glossary and archive referencing notes: Glossary: A.A: Architectural Association Ahp: Adams, Holden and Pearson manuscripts collection D.I.A: Design and Industries Association Lub: Berthold Lubetkin manuscripts collection MARS: Modern Architecture Research Group OPAC: Online Public Access Catalogue R.I.B.A: Royal Institute of British Architects TfL: Transport for London Voc: Charles F. A. Voysey manuscripts collection R.I.B.A Manuscripts Collection references: Throughout this thesis, R.I.B.A archived manuscripts are referred to by their reference number in squared parenthesis, as in the following: (Holden, 1936 [Ahp/26/3/1/v]: 4) “Ahp” refers to the collection code (see glossary, above). “26” refers to the box number. “3” refers to a folder within the box or, on occasion, large items like notebooks. “1” refers to a document in the folder (this number is not always used if the folder in question contains only one document). If that document has multiple pages... ...numeral “v” refers to the page number, written in pencil on the reverse of the page during the archiving process. On occasion, the documents may have original page numbers, in which case they are shown after the squared parenthesis. As in the example above, R.I.B.A‟s page numbering is viii continuous, even if the original page numbering is not. If original page numbering is absent, the numeral is repeated as in the example below. (Holden, c.1936 [Ahp/26/1/1/vi]: vi) On relatively rare occasions, the archivists have elected not to include their own page numerals, in which case the page numbers are provided as they are written or printed on the document itself, as in the example below. (Holden, Pick and Edwards, 1931 [Ahp/26/13]: 3) In all cases, archival material is quoted verbatim and, as far as wordprocessing will allow, with original emphasis such as capitalisation and underlining. Emphasis is only noted in those instances where I have added it. Using these references numbers, the original documents can be viewed at the R.I.B.A Architecture Study Room at the Victoria and Albert Museum – please note that these collections are no longer stored at the British Architectural Library. I gratefully acknowledge the philanthropy of the R.I.B.A and the Victoria and Albert Museum in making these collections freely available to all who wish to view them. R.I.B.A Architecture Study Room Level 4, Henry Cole Wing Victoria and Albert Museum Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL Tel: (0)20 7942 2043 or (0)20 7307 3708 Email: drawings&[email protected] ix vi(b). Preface to the Electronic Deposit edition: The empirical content of this thesis comprises in-depth archival study of three early twentieth century architects, alongside contemporary interviews