Thamesmead: The Town of Tomorrow

Known for its appearance in ‘A Clockwork Orange’ and Aphex Twin’s ‘Come to Daddy’ video, Thamesmead is one of London’s most iconic post-war estates. This talk explores its history and lasting significance today.

Rising from London’s Erith marshes in the 1960s, Thamesmead was London County Council’s bold attempt to build a new town, addressing the city’s housing shortage after the Second World War. Noted for its daring, experimental design – concrete modern terraces, blocks of flats and elevated walkways built around a system of lakes and canals – the town received attention from architects, sociologists and politicians throughout the world but also gained notoriety as the backdrop to Stanley Kubrick’s film, ‘A Clockwork Orange’.

In this talk, a panel will discuss the story of this influential but often misunderstood town, through a closer look at its architecture, community and people