Modernist Estates

Gorgeous and absolutely fascinating! This is a thorough and affectionate exploration of almost two dozen Modernist public housing complexes in England. Most were built during the postwar era, though the overall range spans from the 30s to the 90s. It brought to mind some of the later seasons of Call the Midwife, which often dealt with London's housing crisis. Several characters moved into flats like these and it was interesting to get a real-life look at the types of places they lived.

The exterior of each complex is featured, along with an informative article about how the building was designed and what its fate has become over time. Then a resident is interviewed with a standard set of questions and there is a set of stunning photographs of the interior of their homes. It's amazing how much beauty can be found even in the most brutal of brutalist structures!

This book would certainly be of interest to architecture buffs, as well as people interested in engineering, urban planning, and postwar English history, but I think almost anyone could appreciate the gorgeous pictures and unique look at a distinct time in modern history.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

“Modernist Estates” is an attractive, sumptuous book reflecting the modern taste for modernist/brutalist architecture. It covers works by Goldfinger, SPAN, etc with brief architectural scene-setting for each development, interviews with the householder(s) and a series of interior shots.
By and large the interiors have a hipster-ish vibe to them, and unsurprisingly Shoreditch gets a few mentions, along with Bethnal Green and Barbican etc, and every other person seems to be an architect or graphic designer, so this is very much a glimpse at how the other half live. Most of the interiors have a clinical yet relaxed and liveable feel, but for all the middle-class, Guardian-reading vibes, many of the locations’ best days are behind them, and author Stefi Orazi doesn’t shy away from admitting this.
Overall this is an honest and unpretentious look at a diverse range of people and the modernist homes they live in, with excellent photographs throughout. The book is beautifully designed and printed, and is perfect for your IKEA coffee-table.

Fascinating informative look at these unique individuals Modernist estates.. I loved getting a chance to learn about these estates there construction the gardens and other features Meeting individual residents being invited into their homes,Hearing their thoughts on their particular domiciles seeing how they decorate each unit.their decisions for living their and where they would live if money was no object.I really enjoyed this book will be recommending.#netgalley #quatrobooks

Modernist Estates is a must-have for anyone that enjoys architecture and modernism. The book came about in such an organic way and I cannot wait to also read Stefi Orazi's blog to see the beginnings of how this book came about. The architecture in this book is not the only enjoyable part, but the interviews that take place of the people living in these amazing buildings are also a treat. I was blown away by how much of the original design has been kept in many of the buildings and I can appreciate that the people living in them live there for that original design and how they knew of the building before moving into it is heartwarming.

Fascinating read. Enjoyed the detailed history of the different buildings/developments and even more so the interviews with those now living in the properties. So many are creatives, they truly appreciate the history of the properties and this book celebrates it.