Post by slowcoach on Sept 3, 2023 14:19:20 GMT 2
This is a plug for a 1984 BBC documentary on the UK construction industry in the 1960s-1980s. The problems described differ in detail from to the current issues with social buildings, schools, police stations, courts, hospitals, etc., but the ethos is pervasive.
There wasn't much wrong with the concepts involved in prefabricated and system building. But if the components were not to specification, badly made, badly installed, and the buildings poorly maintained, then it wasn't a surprise when it didn't end well.
Post WWII, the UK faced what may have been a unique set of circumstances, there was a large reduction in the housing stock (2 million destroyed or damaged) without a commensurate reduction in the number of families. Its citizens survived the war much better than did the infrastructure.
The need for new buildings, houses, schools, hospitals was great and much was achieved but at some point it all started to go very wrong.
One striking thing about the documentary is how candid about their complicity are some of the people responsibleht.
Again there is nothing inherently wrong with low density concrete, go stand under the dome of the Pantheon in Rome. But if it is poorly designed, badly made, badly installed, and the buildings poorly maintained, then it shouldn't be a surprise when it doesn't end well.