A remarkable collection of historic photographs documenting the planning and development of Sheffield's famous Park Hill housing estate has been discovered in an attic, revealing intimate details about one of Britain's most significant post-war architectural projects. The photographs were found by Nicholas Pawlik, a London-based architect who runs the practice Pawlik Wiedmer, after his grandmother Audrey Smith died in May at the age of 100.
The precious photographs had been stored in the eaves of Audrey's house for the past 20 years, forgotten until Pawlik inherited his grandfather's architectural materials. "They left all his stuff to me," Pawlik explained to the Architects' Journal. "There were some really early skyline studies of Sheffield, and those are definitely Ivor's, and a development model of the first bit of the building. Ivor took the model shots." His grandfather, Ivor Smith, was one of the principal architects behind the revolutionary Park Hill development.
The discovered photographs bear official stamps on their backs reading "CA Dept 1953," presumably referring to the city architecture department where the ambitious project was conceived. During this period, Smith and his partner Jack Lynn, both in their twenties at the time, worked together to develop their famous "streets in the sky" concept. Their design was heavily inspired by Le Corbusier's groundbreaking Unité d'Habitation in Marseille, France, which pioneered new approaches to high-density urban living.
Construction of Park Hill took place between 1957 and 1961, transforming Sheffield's skyline with its massive concrete structure. One of the most significant photographs in the collection, believed to have been taken by Smith himself, shows detailed architectural models surrounded by exhibition boards. These display boards highlighted key features of the innovative design, boasting that "the scheme is designed for children's safety with footpaths away from roads" and explaining that "the deck forms a continuous pedestrian street on every third floor."
Another historically important photograph, understood to have been taken by Smith's wife Audrey, captures a pivotal moment in the project's development. The image shows three key figures examining an aerial model of the development: Ivor Smith on the left, Jack Lynn in the middle, and Lewis Womersley, the city council's chief architect, all carefully studying the ambitious housing project that would become an architectural landmark.
Ivor Smith passed away in 2018, but according to Pawlik, his grandfather had greatly enjoyed witnessing Park Hill's renaissance in later years. The development received new recognition and protection when it was granted Grade II listed status in 1998, acknowledging its architectural and historical significance. This was followed by a major regeneration effort led by Urban Splash, breathing new life into the aging concrete structure.
"Ivor really enjoyed seeing how it had had the chance to fulfill aspects of the original vision," Pawlik recalled about his grandfather's reaction to the regeneration efforts. "He grew up in an era of very aspirational council housing," reflecting the optimistic social housing policies of the post-war period when architects believed good design could transform communities and improve lives.
The financial details of the original project, as revealed in the discovered documents, demonstrate remarkable value for public investment. Pawlik noted that the final cost for the 1,000 apartments came to £2,360 per unit, totaling £2.29 million including all fees. When adjusted for inflation, this would represent approximately £53 million in today's money, showcasing what Pawlik described as "remarkable value for money" for such an ambitious and innovative housing development.
The Park Hill estate continues to influence contemporary architecture and urban planning discussions. The ongoing regeneration work, which includes contributions from Mikhail Riches Architects, demonstrates how mid-century social housing projects can be adapted for modern living while preserving their architectural integrity and original vision of creating communities in the sky.
