Learning Zone

Canteen, Hoover Building, Ealing, Greater London

The 1920s and 30s was a period very much influenced by the fact that a world war had recently ended but people feared another one would break out. There was an air of wanting to live life to the full and things like music, fashion, and architecture all reflected a style that was extravagant, demonstrationg a new freedom of expression. The exhuberant Art-Deco style of this canteen complemented the main Hoover factory building beside it, in a prominent position alongside one of the main roads into central London..

© Mr Quiller Barrett LRPS

Ealing Village, Greater London

This is one of a group of five blocks of flats built in 1934 to house film stars making films at the famous Ealing Studios. It demonstrates many features of 1930s architecture; the green pantiles on the roof, the symmetrical design, the white painted exterior with decorative features picked out in contrasting colours. The whole site was designed with large areas of open space and communal facilities such as a swimming pool. It still has a rural feel despite being close to both the main railway line into Paddington station and the North Circular Road..

      © Mr Adam Watson

© Mr P J Rawson      

Telephone kiosk, Hungarton, Leicestershire; Police Public callbox, Central London.

Even street furniture was stylish. The type K6 telephone kiosk was designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, an eminent architect who also designed churches. Once familiar they were all scheduled to be replaced by a more modern design but public protest has led to over 2000 of them being listed and preserved.

In the 1930s few buildings had telephones and mobiles were still sixty years in the future. These blue phone boxes were provided to enable people to call the police and for police officers to communicate with their colleagues.

© Mr Bob Cottrell ARPS AFIAP DPAGB

Carliol House Offices, Market Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.

These impressive city centre offices were built for the North Eastern Electric Supply Company out of Portland stone, an expensive material that was very popular at this time. During the 1930s water, gas and electricity companies were thriving as there was a boom in construction and it was becoming common practice to install these utilities, previously luxuries, in all new buildings.

© Malcolm Shaw

Midland Hotel, Morecambe.

The 1930s saw major developmens in seaside resorts as well as in city centres. This particularly impressive hotel has many typical features. It was built of concrete and rendered brickwork, painted white, on a curved plan, facing towards the sea. The central staircase bay rises above roof level and has a tall steel framed window with three sea horses above, painted red.

There are currently plans to restore this building as part of a major regeneration of the resort.

© Dr John L. Wishlade

George and Dragon Public House and signpost, Liverpool Road, Chester.

The late 1920s and 1930s was a time when many new roads were constructed, or old ones widened, as the amount of motor traffic was increasing rapidly. Trunk roads between major towns and ring roads to carry traffic around towns were built at this time.

This public house, built around 1929-31 for the Birkenhead Brewery Company, on a prominent site along the main Liverpool Road, is an example of a Road House designed in the manner of an Elizabethan manor-house.

© Mr Peter H. Evans

Newbury Park Station bus shelter, Ilford, Essex

As the road network developed new housing estates were built, spreading away from town centres where many properties were being condemned as slums and demolished. As people began to live further away from work or family, public transport grew both in towns and over longer distance. This led to an expansion in numbers of bus stations, shelters and huge bus garages.

© Mr Douglas Fairbank LRPS

Eastcote LRT Underground Station and adjoining shops, Ruislip, Greater London

As the suburbs of London spread out, the underground tube system grew and new stations were built. This station was designed in 1936 but not opened until 1939. The architect designed everything from the platforms and ticket hall to the shops and even the clocks and signage.

© Mr Daniel Eugenio LRPS

The Beehive, Gatwick Airport, Crawley, Sussex

The changes in road and rail transport were matched by the emergence of a much newer form of travel. This combined airport terminal and control tower was built in 1934-3 and was one of the first designs to put passenger comfort as a top consideration, an indication of the growth in air travel. This building is still in use but is no longer the main terminal building!

© Mr Glyn Edmunds EFIAP,AMPA,ARPS

Portsdown Hill Road, Bedhampton Hampshire.

Large estates of 1930s semis, detached houses and council houses were being constructed on what had been the edges of towns. In addition, architects were designing very striking individual residences and small developments, often for speculative builders. This house is based on the Sunspan design, first exhibited at the 1934 Ideal Home Exhibition.

These individual buildings are found in all areas; generally listed as they were few in number as opposed to the more mass produced houses.

© Mr J J Sheridan LRPS

Former Odeon Cinema, Kings Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham.

When new estates are built the people who are going to live there need certain services; shops, schools, a church. In the 1930s the focal point of a housing development was often a cinema.

This large cinema, freestanding on a prominent corner site, was built in 1935 to serve the growing suburb of Kingstanding. It was part of the Odeon chain and, although built to an individual design, it was in their distinguishing style.

© Mr Paul Alistair Bloomer ARPS

Coronation Buildings, Mansfield Road, Carlton, Nottinghamshire

This row of seven shops was built in 1936-37. Local shops were very important in the 1930s when very few houses had refrigerators and freezers were unknown. Many shops would deliver heavy grocery orders as only richer people had cars at this time.

Many existing town centre shops had new frontages constructed in the 1930s concealing much older buildings.

© Mr A. Gude

The former Addis Factory, Ware Road, Hertford

The offices are all that are left now of this former factory built in 1935 and very typical of industrial premises built in this period alongside a major route out of the town.

Whole areas were planned so that the workforce could live in the newly built estates, close enough to walk or cycle home for lunch.

© Paul Eggleston

Bath-house and amenities block at Kiveton Park Colliery, Rotherham.

The Kiveton Park Coal Company built this block in 1938 to provide modern amenities enabling miners to bathe and change after shifts underground. The colliery companies in this region pioneered this style of Modern architecture in the 1930s, a time when the coalmining industry was both expanding and modernising.