Fifty years on, architect Magda Borowiecka explains why she had limited scope in designing Southwyck House
More than 50 years after it was designed, Southwyck House still looms over Brixton in south London, drawing fascination and dislike in equal measure.
Originally council housing, the giant concrete structure with tiny windows has been likened to a prison and is known locally as the “Barrier Block”. There was speculation after it was completed in 1981 that the people offered housing there did not want to move in because of its harsh facade. Another persistent rumour is that the architect behind it hated the public criticism of her work so much that she killed herself.