Of Dreams and Cities

The 20th century saw the greatest upheaval for centuries in the planning and design of British towns, cities and homes, fuelled by the privations of war and overcrowding. This collection includes documentary portraits of architects (Arena: Berthold Lubetkin, 1989) and architectural styles (Trellick Tower, 1991), but also looks at how we use public spaces (Lido, 1995) and how artists have re-imagined them (Borderline, 2005).

Despite our renewed love affair with the Victorian terrace, the architectural ideals of the 1930s loom large: in newsreels (An Ultra Modern House, 1931) and documentaries (Bauhaus legend László Moholy-Nagy’s New Architecture at the London Zoo, 1937), feature films (H.G. Wells' prescient sci-fi fable Things to Come, 1936), and nostalgic evocations of the period (England Home and Beauty, 1976).

Simon McCallum
Curator - Mediatheque

For more on RIBA 175 see www.architecture.com

Ten to try...

Kensington Calling! (1930)
Squalid conditions in Kensington - and a bid for a brighter future.

Kensal House (1937)
A visionary community powered by the miracle of gas.

The Ten Year Plan (1945)
Charles Hawtrey promotes the utalitarian wonder of the prefab.

Charley in New Town (1948)
Suburban utopia explained in Halas & Batchelor's animated guide for townies.

The Changing Face of Camberwell (1963)
Post-war progress in a South London borough.

South Bank (1964)
Look out for the National Film Theatre in this tour of the Thames' ever-changing architectural landscape.

Look at Life: Living (1968)
The only way is up: the 1960's answer to Britain's booming population.

Living Architects: Denys Lasdun (1971)
The architect discusses his controversial vision for the National Theatre.

Omnibus (1982)
Bob Hoskins offers his unvarnished opinion on the architectural dilemmas facing the South Bank.

Building Sights: Byker Wall Newcastle (1988)
Beatrix Campbell explores a 20th century 'walled city'.