Fairchild House, Hoxton

Fairchild House stands on the Pitfield Estate in Hoxton as a significant example of post-war council architecture. When it was completed in 1950, it was the largest housing block ever built by the Shoreditch Borough Council. The building was officially opened by Aneurin Bevan, the politician who founded the National Health Service. While many council buildings of the era are often overlooked, Fairchild House is noted for its distinctive northern elevation. It incorporates curved brick and glass screens that were designed to protect balcony stairs from the weather while also housing refuse chutes. These architectural curves are a nod to the Streamline Moderne style, which was typically reserved for much more expensive, private apartment blocks before the war.