1 - 42 Headlam Green, Byker Wall

42 flats and sheltered housing (Chirton House) set around central bowling green with pavilion. 1976-78 by Ralph Erskine's Arkitektkontor; site architect Vernon Gracie; structural engineer, White, Young and Partners; main contractor, Shepherd Construction. Red modular metric brick to Union Road, with pale brick facing central green, cladding concrete block cross-wall construction and with brown and green balconies supported on precast cantilevers. Blue metal sloping roofs with very deep eaves to square. Two, three and four storeys on prominent high site, the land falling away on all sides suggesting that the green is partly made up ground. Three-sided composition set around bowling green, extending on fourth side to enclose earlier C20 community centre (not included).

Nos. 1-12 form a terrace comprising two storeys of flats set over garages, with upper flats reached off short access galleries reached up staircases boldly expresseed by supporting struts braced by timbers reaching to the eaves. Small raised attic areas over the walkway. Distinctive oriels at rear of brown timber with steeply sloping roofs. Garages project under first-floor (bowling green level) patio. Nos. 14-21 form `L'-shaped block in corner of square linked across one and two-storey carriage arch, of three storeys but with continuous roof because extra storey is set lower into sloping land at rear of square, which maintains its two-storey profile. High timber attic over. Distinctive projecting brown timber oriels under sloping roofs on outward side. On green side, the access gallery continues over the carriageway. Nos. 22-24 occupy a two-storey block on the other side, attached to large steel gates and with old stone flanking wall. Open ground floor to west elevation, with brown and green timber walkway over. Chirton House occupies north side, of two and three storeys, projecting rear three-storey range, and projecting paired windows on exposed concrete cantilevers under sloping blue roofs. To square, projecting brown timber first floor beneath deep eaves supported on timber struts and braces, and with green balconies. Nos. 25-32 of two storeys to green, three behind, with access gallery of brown timber with green balustrades, set under eaves behind timber struts and bracing. Nos. 33-37 and nos. 38-42 are two eyecatching blocks of red brick, with buff brick facing green only, under steeply sloping roofs. Three and four storeys, with brown timber eaves detailing and projecting balconies, and oriel windows and porches under sloping roofs. Nos. 33-37 with linking access gallery forming bridge to nos. 25-32. Nos. 38-42 with prominent access stairs to end, of brown timber with green balustrading on brick base and with plastic sheet roofing.

Windows of timber in timber subframes, with aluminium opening lights, mainly sliding. Some original red doors with glazed panel, others renewed in hardwood. Broad projecting four-bay entrance to Chirton House, with double doors at left, and set behind red brick garden wall. Interiors not inspected but understood not to be of special interest.

Bowling house in centre of green of exposed timber framing with eternit panels and tiled roof over prominent eaves, set against low stone wall surviving from earlier development. Two small gables to green, with small benches. Green fences to rest of green. Built-in green fences, bin stores and steps a feature of the Headlam Green development. Big brick retaining walls to east of square. This is a real one-off, in a distinctive variant of Erskine's classic brick and bright timber idiom.

The Byker area, first extensively developed in the 1890s, was earmarked for redevelopment from the late 1950s, with a new motorway to the north. In March 1967 the Housing Architect's Department proposed the building of a barrier block to shelter the area, and this idea was supported by Ralph Erskine, who was invited to develop the area for Newcastle Corporation in 1969. His Plan of Intent, published in 1970, promised a complete redevelopment programme of housing and landscaping with cost yardsticks, while maintaining the traditions and character of the neighbourhood, and to rehouse the residents without breaking family and social ties. His achievement in rehousing 40% of the original residents on the original site was exceptional, as were his methods of keeping the community informed of development and seeking their support and suggestions for the low-rise housing. In achieving these goals Erskine sought to exploit the south-facing sloping site, to develop a system of pedestrian routes through the estate and to provide a `specific "local" individuality to each group of houses.
'The estate was redeveloped in a rolling programme of no more than 250 units at a time, to try to maintain the community's infrastructure. The idea was a sheltering perimeter block, which protects the estate from traffic noise and creates a micro climate, with low-rise housing in its lee. The modular metric facing brick of 290mm x 90mm x 65mm was developed by Crossley and Sons in County Durham, in collaboration with the City of Newcastle. When mortared, it forms a 12" by 4" by 3" unit. The inventiveness of the decoration, developed following the relatively muted `pilot scheme' at Janet Square, marks Byker out from other post-war housing for bringing the humane concepts of `romantic pragmatism' with its neo-vernacular details and materials to public housing in a unique way. It is probably also the greatest achievement of this important and idiosyncratic international architect. `If there is something marvellously lighthearted about the design, this I would say is the topographical keynote of the new Byker' (Architectural Design, June 1975, p.333).

Sources
Tyne and Wear Archives
Architectural Review, December 1974, pp.346-62
Mats Egelius, Ralph Erskine, Architect, Stockholm 1990, pp.148-60 LISTED GRADE 2*