Robin Hood Gardens
Housing Project
Alison & Peter
Smithson
1969
In this construction there are two fun-
damental concepts: the tall building in
the green and the building and street-
link neighborhood social relations,
movement of vehicles is completely
excluded from the area of design. It
was defended as a reinvention of so-
cial housing, an attempt to realize the
concept of “streets in the sky” with
the long corridors in height made
within concrete blocks. The residen-
tial complex that occupies about two
hectares, consists of two long blocks
containers facing each other, at whose
head sits the busiest route, thereby ex-
erting an effect buildings barrier that
protects the large interior space the
land where they were built is exposed
to traffic on three sides. The external
facades overlook the streets of the city
and are preceded by a garden. One of
the blocks has ten plants and another Opposite: Site Plan
w
seven, bringing a total of 213 apart- Below: Sectional Perspective of
ments surrounding a central garden Public Access
area, some of a plant, other duplex.
Departments in the bedrooms and
kitchens and dining are into the green,
away from the noise, leaving the ac-
cess gateways and living rooms on the
side closest to the street noise. Every
three floors are wide open balconies
were designed with the idea of serving
to children’s play and neighborhood
meetings, as traditional streets. A large
green, protected from the bustle out-
side, where children can play and can
be performed outdoors. But rescu-
ing the concept of street as a passage
and encounter, as well as the wide
corridors of buildings, the garden
is crossed by streets, some upward,
with its plazas and community spac-