Thamesmead, SE28: An ambitious social engineering project that has been shut off from civilisation. Thamesmead, built in the late 1960s on the site of the Erith marshes and a disused shooting range, is a self-contained town. There are schools, health centres, taverns, social clubs, factories, and prefabricated dwellings erected above ground in case of flooding, as well as a location that grows around manmade lakes and canals, with traffic isolated from people. But, dissatisfaction occurred in soon after the project opened in the early 1970s, and there was little motivation to finish it.
A River crossing towards Barking was never built, and vague promises about transportation upgrades have resulted in modest changes. Thamesmead is a remote, windswept, and spooky region, the nightmare nature of which Stanley Kubrick depicted in his 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.
Despite Thamesmead’s unfavourable image, there is still a lot to explore here. In this post, we’ll look at the history, architecture, attractions, and community of Thamesmead, as well as discuss this underappreciated district of London.
History of Thamesmead
Thamesmead was developed in the 1960s as a self-sustaining neighbourhood to solve London’s demand for cheap housing. The location was originally meant to become a commercial port, but the project was cancelled and the British government opted to use the property for public housing building. The project was directed by Environment Secretary Richard Crossman and his deputy, Keith Joseph. Ralph Erskine, a Swedish architect, was commissioned to create the design.
Thamesmead architecture
The architecture of Thamesmead was designed to create a self-sustaining community. The dwellings were built on stilts to prevent floods and were energy efficient. The roadways have been separated from pedestrians, and there are many open green areas to encourage residents to live a healthy lifestyle.
Thamesmead attractions
=Thamesmead is not a famous tourist destination, there are no intriguing sites to visit. Thamesmead Sports Center provides a variety of activities such as swimming, gym, and football. The retail area has a variety of stores and eateries, and the nearby library holds frequent programmes for both children and adults. =
Thamesmead’s population is very diverse. Several Thamesmead residents are interested in community projects to enhance the quality of life in the region, such as community gardening programmes and volunteer street cleaning organisations.
