As a self confessed “Essex Man” from Leigh-on-Sea I spent a lot of time in my teenage years of the 1970s in Southend using and hanging around some of the buildings shown in this section. Southend like so many other towns in the 1960s-70s went through a modernisation programme, out with the old and in with the new! Its actually not as bad as some I have seen and has not been overly dominated by new roads carving up the pre-existing town. The rebuilding included a shopping centre, Keddies Department store, library, civic centre, swimming pool (now demolished) residential tower blocks and many office blocks. I found these buildings very appealing and futuristic at the time and they must have helped to give me a taste for modernist / brutalist architecture & design that I have retained throughout my life. My mother buying a Saarinen Tulip table and chairs in the 60,s probably helped as well! While these buildings cannot perhaps be said to be the best examples of the time to me they are special as they are nostalgic of my formative years prior to moving to London in 1982! and actually I think some of them are really pretty good! but perhaps i’m biased…will be adding buildings in Westcliiff-on-Sea & Leigh-on-Sea to this section as they make up the same area.
Photo above: To the left a three part fibreglass sculpture by William Mitchell 1971. They sit in a rather small raised fountain pool which unsurprisingly has no water at the moment....The Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, 1960-67 in the background. My parents had a modernist marriage here! Opened by the Queen Mother in 1967. By P F Burridge, Borough Architect.
The Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue. 1960-67 Opened by the Queen Mother in 1967. By P F Burridge, Borough Architect.
The Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue
The Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue
The Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue
The Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue
Southend (former) Library on Victoria Avenue. By The Borough Architect R Horswell, 1971-1974. It's spatially interesting inside, fluid open plan floors wrap around a central service core clad with very nice brown 3D ceramic tiles by the sculptor Fritz Steller and a dramatic 4 storey high internal space which curiously has a red painted concrete waffle slab over rather than a skylight, perhaps that was a cost saving..Its no longer a library since 2013 as a new one "The Forum" has been built off the high st. The flexible space has suited repurposing as the The Beecroft Art Gallery and The Hive Business Centre..Its remained fairly unharmed with no really drastic changes. At least it hasn't been demolished as have so many similar buildings from the period.
Former Library, Victoria Avenue. The two storey car park in the foreground.
Former Library, Victoria Avenue
Former Library, Victoria Avenue. Central service core clad in Tiles by Fritz Steller
Former Library, Victoria Avenue. Central service core clad in Tiles by Fritz Steller
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre, now “The Victoria Centre” was constructed by Hammerson. Designed by Bernard Engle & Partners 1968-1973. Shopping Centre, multi storey car park & office block all wrapped up in one brutal concrete lump. Internally it used to be open to the elements, rather bleak tiered concrete walkways and staircases. It was redeveloped about 10 years ago with a large roof and modifications to the levels. Externally the usual misguided painting of some concrete. However the renovations have sadly not attracted many retailers as a great many units remain un-let which does the atmosphere no favours..this is pretty much the story across the country though! The centre seems unable to compete with the newer Royals shopping centre at the other end of the High St. As a child I thought the Victoria Centre very exciting and futuristic and must have given me a taste for concrete! how times have changed! But still feel nostalgic about it..
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre with one of the Queensway Tower Blocks in the background
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre
The Victoria Circus Shopping Centre
The Queensway Tower Blocks in the town centre East of the Victoria Shopping Centre.. 4, T shaped in plan, 15 storey high rises. The spaces around the blocks are bleak and featureless and include a concrete “playground” with no equipment on top of garages, a typical unsuccessful feature of estates from the period. The estate is partially cut in two by a dual carriageway but it’s connected by an anxiety inducing bridge where from one side you can’t see who’s coming from the other, definitely not to be used at night! The flats did have small balconies but these have been glazed in when the windows were changed but the tiny space behind remains the same. What an estate agent today would cynically call a “winter garden” basically somewhere to put your rubbish...🤔. The blocks sadly have a terrible reputation for antisocial behaviour and drugs. Bad press on line is prolific! They are all scheduled for demolition as part of a regeneration project. Sadly I don’t think many will miss them..by the Borough architects, completed around 1967..
The Queensway Tower Blocks
The Queensway Tower Blocks
The Queensway Tower Blocks
Alexander House a monolithic slab at the top of Victoria Avenue. Relentless rows going around the entire building of pre-cast patterned concrete panels contrasted with continuous rows of aluminium sash windows. It houses a Revenue & Customs office which makes it even more ominous! A school friends father worked there and for that reason we were suspicious of him! 😂 dates from 1972, by E H Banks
Alexander House
The Cliffs Pavillion Westcliff-on-Sea. Music & entertainment venue. By Southend Borough Council Architect’s Opened in 1964 main part of the building clad in lovely rectangular grey & white mosaic tiles and animated roofline. Extension to the south side and the interior wrecked in 1992, including the removal of a beautiful spiral staircase that I used to run up and down as a kid...all lthe alterations looking horribly dated now. There’s plans for another extension and renovation afoot.. Original Fountain area and sculpture in the foreground of the above photo. Sculptor TBC.
The Cliffs Pavillion
The Cliffs Pavillion. Original signage in Playbill Font.
Tower Court, Westcliff Parade, Westcliff-On-Sea. A somewhat out of place 60’s high rise sitting at the top of the cliffs amongst houses. Would not look massively out of place in some of London’s big council estates from the same period. Actually built as a private luxury block. Has an impressive spacious reception area and with a Porter! Fantastic views to be had from the flats. Nice varied cladding of brick, aggregate finished concrete panels & cast concrete tiles. Architect and exact date unknown