Up in the Air: A History of High Rise Britain

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Synopsis
How the Rise Rise Tower Block came to symbolise the welfare state, and what went wrong - fron an award-winning debut historian.Up in the Air tells the story of Britain&’s multi-storey council housing from its beginnings to the present day. Throughout its history, high rise has been a symbol of the welfare state for better or worse. Here, Holly Smith tells a new story from the perspective of those who lived there, exploring how residents grappled with this brave new world above the old skyline.Through a series of historical moments based upon prize-winning research, we confront the human story of high-rise Britain. Interrogating the complex inheritance of mid-century urban reconstruction, Smith shows how these buildings became a crucible for the welfare state&’s reimagination over the decades. She traces the scattering of a local community during the construction of Park Hill in Sheffield in the 1950s. The resistance of residents after the Ronan Point collapse of 1968. The formation of a pioneering tenants&’ cooperative to revive a crumbling estate during the closure of the Docklands. The rage of a National Tower Blocks Network advocating for high-rise safety in the 1980s and 1990s. The excitement of early digital culture in a Liverpudlian pensioners&’ high-rise internet television show in the 2000s. And the fierce battle to defend estates from demolition in the 2010s.Up in the Air is a rich history of political struggle within Britain&’s most misunderstood buildings, offering essential lessons for a reformed social housing compact.
Copyright:
2025

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
288 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781804297391
Related ISBNs:
9781804297377, 9781804297407
Publisher:
Verso Books
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Holly Smith
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Art and Architecture, Social Studies, Politics and Government
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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