On the other hand, the team wanted to design a typical, well functioning microcosm and studied the social structures of the demolished development. As a result, Park Hill was equipped with shops and launderettes, a kindergarten, a police station and four pubs. The access routes on every third floor, known as “streets in the sky”, were given old street names in order to lend them identity. Residents were thrilled above all with the district heating, with having a bath of their own and with the modern refuse-disposal system. Like so much in the city, however, during the 1970s and 80s, the estate was subject to a continuous decline. Necessary maintenance was not carried out, the concrete became unsightly, and the complex degenerated into a catch basin for social problems. If Park Hill had not been given a protected status in 1998, the estate would probably have been demolished.
The conservation authority decided that only the concrete skeleton structure should be retained. An investor, known hitherto for atmospheric conversions of industrial buildings into lofts, took on the site for a symbolic pound. So far, the northernmost and tallest section of the development – a 10- to 13-storey cranked strip – has been reduced to its load-bearing skeleton and the boarded concrete rehabili-tated at considerable cost.
The intended change of image, evident in the socio-political ambience and the freely financed owner occupation, is reflected above all in the new facades. Large areas of fenestration and opening lights in boldly coloured anodized aluminium are now evident in place of the original white, divided windows between brick infill panels. To create brighter bedrooms, the proportion of glazing was reversed on the north and east faces and is now two thirds. The former balustrades have been replaced with more slender concrete ones with finer surfaces and haptically pleasing wooden handrails.
The characteristic feature of the structure – the triaxial and three-storey cluster with two-storey dwelling types and access routes on every third floor – has not basically been changed. The undisputed qualities have been retained, such as dwellings extending from front to back with natural cross-ventilation, living rooms with a south or west orientation and at least one balcony. The layouts were designed more openly and generously, however, with concrete surfaces left visible in part internally. The district-heating system, other mechanical services and the acoustic insulation have, of course, been brought up to the latest standards. A four-storey recess cut in the strip forms a central portal where a concierge will be stationed in future. Other features of the new entrance are a mirrored spiral escape staircase and fully glazed lifts that afford views over the city. To make Park Hill a livelier destination, one-and-a-half to three-storey commercial units with large areas of glazing are foreseen at the base, including shops, bars and restaurants along the newly designed outer areas. In a few years, the revitalized complex should contain 874 dwellings, 240 of which will be supported to various degrees. Although the residency will be more mixed, the loss of subsidized living space will not be made good elsewhere – but that is a political, not an architectural decision.
