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Last edited 02 Nov 2025

HOUSING IN THE UK: Further ongoing research

• Link to mock-up of abstract Pt 1 (left) Link to mock-up of abstract Pt 2. Source: Norman Fellows

• Timeline graphic. Source: ChatGPT, edited by Norman Fellows

1 PREFACE
2 INTRODUCTION
3 IDENTIFYING A PROGRESSION
4 • TEMPORARY HOUSING PROGRAMME
5 • SHORT LIFE HOUSING STUDY—U.K.
6 • DOMESTIKIT
7 CONCLUSION
8 Notes
9 APPENDIX - AI GENERATED QUESTIONNAIRE
10 • HOUSING
11 • HOUSES
12 • HOUSE
13 • HOME
14 Bibliography
15 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] PREFACE

In 1995, Brenda Vale wrote:—

"After the Second World War a new type of state-subsidized house appeared in Britain. The two-bedroom temporary bungalow was produced ostensibly to provide much needed housing in the immediate post-war period and some 156,623 houses were supplied between 1945-1949 as part of the scheme. The bungalows differed from pre-war state-subsidized housing in a number of ways including their method of construction.For the first time in Britain one of the ideals of the Modern Movement was realized: a house was manufactured on a production line in a factory."
('Prefabs: A History of the UK Temporary Housing Programme', p.viii)

Given the infinite regress argument against so-called “permanent" housing built in the UK between 1918 and 1968 it seems rational to take the THP as a starting point for further ongoing research. [1]

[edit] INTRODUCTION

In her introduction, Brenda Vale wrote:—

"Some 156,623 temporary bungalows were produced for rent under the aegis of the 1944 Temporary Housing Programme, each with a design life of 10–15 years, though many have lasted much longer. The last temporary bungalow was handed over in March 1949, so the country should theoretically have been cleared of them by 1964."
(ib., p.1)

In 'Housing in the UK', Norman Fellows identified an infinite regress in housing in the UK from Tudor Walters in 1918 to Parker Morris in 1968.

However, this follow-up article assumes:—

... that the state-sponsored houses (prefabs) built in the Temporary Housing Programme may be described as progressive.

Thus the purpose of this follow-up article is:—

to enable further ongoing research into housing in the UK.

• Progress graph, Paddington. Source: Hutton Archive/Getty Images

[edit] IDENTIFYING A PROGRESS ION

John Temple has argued:—

:...that Labour’s post-war housing record [...] was one of radical and progressive achievement."
('A Radical and Progressive Legacy: Labour’s Housing Record, 1945 to 1951', Labour History Review, vol. 87, no. 1, p.65)

However, the so-called "permanent dwellings" he refers to were the product of a long-life dwelling philosophy and therefore part of the ongoing regress.

Thus the argument from anticipatory design proposes:—

... that temporary housing built in the THP constituted a progression.

The following items are listed here in relation to the THP:—

1942 Burt Committee
1944 Design of Dwellings (Dudley Report)
1944 Housing Manual
1944 The Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act
1945-1946 Emergency Housing Measures
1945 The Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act
1945 White Paper Housing Policy Cmd. 6609
1945 TNA: PRO, PREM 8/228, Housing: Memorandum
1946 New Towns Act
1946 Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
1947 Town and Country Planning Act
1949 Housing Act

See checklist (right) for links to AI generated research.

• Checklist for further ongoing research. Source: Pinboards, Norman Fellows

Learn More

[edit] • TEMPORARY HOUSING PROGRAMME

• Selected images of the Arcon Mark V. Source: 1944 Arcon, Archiblog

Learn More

Notes

According to Brenda Vale:—

"Ultimately, the most sophisticated arrangement of the standard two bed-room accommodation was probably that of the Arcon Mark V bungalow. The two-bedroom Arcon had all rooms, apart from the kitchen, leading off a hall which contained the WC and a built-in meter and coat cupboard. The airing cupboard, which was part of the prefabricated bathroom/kitchen unit, also gave into the hall. Partitions between the living room and bedroom 1 and bedroom 2 and the hall were partly composed of cupboard units. The kitchen, apart from its cooker, sink etc, which were combined with the bathroom plumbing and wiring, also contained a larder with ventilation direct to the outside, and a folding table. A separate shed was to be provided in the garden space for the storage of bicycles and tools. All the bungalows were variations of similar accommodation."
(ib., p.2)

Learn More

For further information see 'PERIOD ONE: 1944-1949', DOMESTIKIT: UK

[edit] • SHORT LIFE HOUSING STUDY—U.K.

According to Cedric Price:—

"...a re-think (of a major element of public and private investment and expenditure) is desirable for many reasons, one of the main ones being the increasing difficulty of poorer authorities to finance housing allied with the near impossibility of a large section of the community to self purchase."
(Cedric Price Supplement No. 4, AD 10/71, p.619)

and explained:—

"This work has been concerned with postulating a coarse model of a 'housing' service which would help correct the shortfalls and ensure that future appetites and demands, as yet unknown, can be identified and when necessary, satisfied."
To test such a coarse model of service, an equally crude manufactured component in the service has been designed and developed so that proposed service and structure can be refined and sharpened against each other in a process of constructive abrasion.
(ib. p.620)

• House Type A - Source: CCA

• House Type C - Source: CCA

• Axonometric - Source: CCA

• Source: Cedric Price Supplement No.4, p.630, AD 10/71

• Selected images from 'Housing Research'. Source: Cedric Price

Cedric Price also raised the following key points:—

"The effects of a long-life dwelling philosophy and its associated manufacture, land tenure and financing structure can be seen to produce the following undesirable effects:
A decrease in physical and social mobility since the War set against a massive increase in the desire for such mobility.
Use of land for functions that may no longer be sensible due to the relatively high cost of of removing or changing the shell and service structure implanted on it.
Use of materials and construction methods which inhibit the individual's ability to manipulate his own internal and external environment as he wishes.
Reliance on the peak technologies of twenty, thirty or even fifty years ago to supply te performance requirements of the present day."
(ib.)

and explained:—

"This interlocking and restrictive system can be broken apart at a key point by changing one of the fundamental rules of the game — the notional 'life' of the building. Such a lever only becomes valuable, however, if the pressure applied to it can produce the fundamental changes:

"Ability for the individual to match desired mobility to performance.
Maximum fit between desired degree of occupancy and performance. This must include both 'over' and 'under' occupation: overall normative criteria in such matters must be replaced by the individual's own criteria. Similarly, enforced and undesired 'over' and 'under' occupation must be wiped out.
Maximum separation between the housing product and the land upon which it alights, enabling rapid response to greater mobility.
Maximum speed of 'on-site' erection and removal of the housing unit to eliminate as far as possible the loss-making effects to the community of fallow ground caused by development. Mediaeval cultivation must cease.
Maximum environmental 'plateau' for each dwelling coupled with minimum time lapse before such a plateau can be up graded by every individual through the selection of a new model. (see AD 9/71 p.569)
If the likely period of occupancy of a dwelling by the same occupier cane be forecast, then it is possible to make some estimate of the frequency of major changes in the function of the dwelling, and to select the materials and equipment of the dwelling in such a way that their life will be expended at times of major functional change or that they can be re-used in a different way or a different dwelling.
A model has been developed which approximates to the pattern of residential mobility existing in the UK at the present time.

(ib. pp. 621-622)

For further information see '1967 SHORT LIFE HOUSING STUDY—U.K.' in 'PERIOD TWO: 1965-1971', DOMESTIKIT: UK

[edit] • DOMESTIKIT

Work on Domestikit began in January 1972 with the publication of the second part of the summary by Cedric Price, namely:—

'Housing'
(Cedric Price Supplement No.5, AD 1/72, pp.24-29 and 38-43)

However, the title was not coined by Norman Fellows until October 1972 after a reading of a soliloquy entitled 'I Figure' published in 'Ideas and Integrities' in 1963 in which Buckminster Fuller discussed the idea of a "World-Wide Dwelling Service" (p.109).

Domestikit itself was not actually published by Norman Fellows until 10 January 1978 at a meeting with Cedric Price at 38 Alfred Place.

• Source: 3D Warehouse

• Isometric projection - separations. Source: NF fonds on Flickr

• Typical plans - Source: NF fonds on Flickr

• Selected digitized items from the Domestikit Catalogue — Source: Domestikit on 3D Warehouse

For further information see 'PERIOD THREE: 1972-1977', DOMESTIKIT: UK

[edit] CONCLUSION

This article concludes:—

... that the prefabs built in the UK from 1944 to 1949 as part of the THP were a precedent for Cedric Price's short life housing study UK.
... that Cedric Price's short life housing study UK was a precedent for Domestikit.

However, there is an argument against progressive housing as exemplified by Cedric Price's short life housing and hence Domestikit.

Therefore this article also concludes:—

... that further ongoing research is required.

[edit] Notes

[1] A working hypothesis was constructed by Norman Fellows In 'Housing in the UK'. It is provisionally accepted in this article as a basis for further ongoing research.

[edit] APPENDIX - AI GENERATED QUESTIONNAIRE

Note: AI can make mistakes - these questions should be checked before use.

Cedric Price has suggested:—

... that, in relation to housing, there is an indeterminate situation rather than a soluble problem; and
... that housing, houses, house and home may be unhooked.

[edit] • HOUSING

Learn More

[edit] • HOUSES

Learn More

• Screenshots of initial questions from 'Expediency' by Cedric Price. Source: Pinboards, Norman Fellows

"The second range of questions to determine such things as the (continuous or intermittent) rate of production, range of products, frequency of alteration in demand and the nature of such alteration must be related to the initial questions and not 'packaged' for the convenience of the programmers."
(Cedric Price, ib.)

[edit] • HOUSE

Learn More

[edit] • HOME

Learn More

• Screenshots of second range of questions from 'Expediency' by Cedric Price. Source: Pinboards, Norman Fellows

NOTE:—Glimpses of some of the implications of such questions can be obtained by clicking on the 'Learn More' links.

Further, Cedric Price asked:—

"Why should anyone assume that such a display of intellectually edible concepts will ever reduce, when challenged with the hunger for somewhere to LIVE?"
(ib.)