Rights Managed > Historic England > Industry > Engineering and Construction > Building Housing schemes
Friends outside JLP01_08_072661
Filename: jlp01_08_072661.jpg
Size: 6636 x 5216 (7.4MB)
Date: 19th January 2022
Source: Historic England
Credit: A© Historic England Archive. Joh
Copyright Status: Copyrighted Work
Source: Historic England Archive
Owner URL: https://images.historicenglandservices.org.uk/
© Historic England Archive
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Historic England
Friends outside JLP01_08_072661
Bearwood House, Bearwood Road, Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands. A young woman sitting in the lounge-diner of a flat at Bearwood House, waving to a friend outside.
Sectra was a French prefabricated steel formwork design for flats which John Laing and Son Ltd acquired the British rights to in 1962. It was a method of using precision-made steel formwork for the placing of structural concrete in tunnel sections in room unit widths and ceiling heights. The units were bolted together in rows on special tracks, with the concrete poured to form the walls and floors in one operation. The formwork was internally heated to accelerate the hardening of the concrete in the mould and the sections were then lifted into position by a tower crane on the construction site.
Bearwood House was built by Laing for Smethwick Borough County Council. The architects were K.R. Emmett, S. Greenwood, J.E. Hepburn and R.E. Philcock. Construction work started in 1965 and the building was opened on 25th January 1966. It has since been demolished
Historic England is the public body that champions and protects England's historic places
Media ID 24289731
© Historic England Archive
1960s Costume Domestic Flats Furniture Interior People Women Dining Room Kitsch Living Room
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a moment frozen in time at Bearwood House, Smethwick. In the lounge-diner of this prefabricated steel formwork flat, a young woman sits comfortably, waving to a friend outside. The Sectra method employed by John Laing and Son Ltd allowed for precision-made steel formwork to be used in constructing these flats. With units bolted together on special tracks, structural concrete was poured seamlessly to create walls and floors in one operation. The internal heating of the formwork expedited the hardening process, ensuring efficiency and quality. Bearwood House itself was an architectural marvel built by Laing for Smethwick Borough County Council. Designed by K. R. Emmett, S. Greenwood, J. E Hepburn, and R. E Philcock, construction began in 1965 and concluded with its grand opening on January 25th, 1966. Sadly though, this iconic building has since been demolished. Through this photograph captured by A© Historic England Archive, we are transported back to a time when modernity met functionality in the heart of West Midlands' Sandwell district. It serves as a reminder of how innovative construction techniques like Sectra revolutionized urban living spaces during that era.
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