ABSTRACT
It is too simplistic to say that the Kelvin Flats failed
just because of its design inadequacies (though the
rigidity of the concrete cages certainly left little room
for manoeuvre in terms of conversion), but the other
three examples in one way or another build in a degree of
obsolescence. The student housing with the immovable
prefabricated units, the tower blocks with their non-
exchangeable external panels, and the semi-detached
housing with its non-adaptable construction. All of
these could have been avoided with the application of
straightforward design intelligence and little, if any,
extra expense. However, in the rush to construct, short-
term expediency overcomes long-term sense.
