AA Archives, Recent Acquisitions: Christopher Blencowe
Christopher Blencowe has recently donated to the Archives his AA Diploma Honours thesis from 1966, a project for the redevelopment of the western half of Soho. Alongside the drawings are preserved Christopher’s original accompanying written report and the final jury assessment – the jurists consisting of a stella cast, included James Stirling, Alan Colquhoun, John Voelcker and Peter Cook!
Quoting from Christopher’s original report “The concept… takes the form of a three-dimensional layered urban system, in which the housing forms a membrane between the natural and artificial environments. The servicing functions form the base, and commercial, recreational and movement functions the ‘filling’ in the sandwich… Pedestrian movement across the site is by means of short-run mechanical conveyors serving a main public circulation grid of galleries… Shopping is organised on two-tier platforms consisting of freely positioned containers. Those at the edges can be raised or lowered by means of electric jacks for restocking or security reasons…”