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Some of London‘s most famous social housing estates have been shamed in a series of TikTok videos.
Engineering graduate Noris Obijaku, known as ‘MrChuck’, has toured a host of sites around the capital, with the aim understanding why there is such a stigma around social housing.
In his ruthless reviews, which includes an estate in Thamesmead, used as the backdrop for Stanley Kubrick’s crime film A Clockwork Orange, he describes many as ‘dystopian’, ‘rundown’ and ‘dirty’.
Many of the estates are made up of tight-knit communities of Londoners who have lived together for generations.
But anger is continuing to grow in those areas, with neighbours in Thamesmead this week claiming they have been left feeling like second-class citizens, as they wait for their homes to be demolished to make room for new tower blocks.
Noris, 24, from Wandsworth, south London, has created a series of damning videos, highlighting how areas once described as ‘utopias’ have fallen into disrepair.
A social housing worker is touring and reviewing London ‘s most rundown housing estates – posting TikTok reviews about their hidden histories
Noris Obijaku, 24, of Wandsworth, London, studied engineering at Coventry University and is interested in building designs
A map of London’s brutalist housing estates. Brutalist design refers to housing with unpolished textures that are minimalist and care for function over style
Noris visited the North Peckham Estate in September, the home of famous icons including actor John Boyega, referring to it as the ‘most deprived area in Europe’.
Last month, he visited the notorious Thamesmead estate in south-east London – once dubbed ‘town of the future’ which he says is now ‘rundown, dirty and very empty’.
The estate had its origins in the post-war reconstruction to address the shortage of homes in the city.
In 1966, Greater London Council (GLC) came up with a masterplan for 60,000 people to be housed on the estate for a period of 10 to 15 years.
The development included lots of open space, manmade lakes and canals.
Now it is home to around 40,000 people and has become a symbol of urban decay.
Its brutalistic architecture was initially the envy of housing estates around the country, with its futuristic appearance seeing it used as the backdrop for Stanley Kubrick’s dystopian crime film A Clockwork Orange.
But features such as its famed elevated walkways have fallen into disrepair after being considered unsafe places to walk.
Thamesmead Housing Estate in London pictured in 1970
A map of the North Peckham Estate pictured in 1987
Police officers walking across the North Peckham Estate in South London in 1987
A photograph taken in 1973 shows a children’s playground and the Lakeside Health Centre near Tavy Bridge in Thamesmead
The cast of A Clockwork Orange are pictured walking along the water’s edge at Binsey Walk in Thamesmead. Its brutalistic architecture became the envy of housing estates around the country, with its futuristic appearance seeing it used as the backdrop for Stanley Kubrick’s dystopian crime film
A view of the Barbican development from a London Wall office block to the south-east of the site, showing the site’s three tower blocks and their surroundings
The Brunswick Centre, a shopping centre with tiered residences above, in the Bloomsbury district of London
The graduate wants people to understand the thought process that goes behind the designs by exploring the history behind them.
Noris has so far visited eight housing estates across the capital in total.
He said: ‘Most of these estates are derelict and are just not being looked after.
‘There are a lot of factors that essentially turns these estates that were made for the people and it actually gets turned on it’s head.’
While researching the different estates, Noris looks for ones that have character and history.
The Alexandra and Ainsworth estate cost £20.9million, four times its original budget and remains the UK’s most expensive social housing.
The estate deteriorated rapidly in the 1980s with the arrival of Thatcher and rate-capping, meaning public areas and concrete remained dirty and unkempt.
Designed by Neve Brown, the estate is considered to be one of the most important examples of social housing in Europe.
View from above the Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate in St John’s Wood, London, UK in January 1977
Noris wants people to understand the thought process that goes behind the designs and appreciate the often overlooked buildings
Noris continued: ‘Our main aim is to review the blocks and spark a conversation and get people thinking.
‘These places that have been so neglected and people don’t realise how much thought is put into designing these places.’
Asked to pick the worst housing estate he had visited was the Aylesbury Estate in the Walworth area of the city.
Elaborating on his choice, Noris stated: ‘The blocks were very repetitive and it was very monochrome when I was there – and that’s how I felt.
‘There is a very strong community there but in terms of the design aspect compared to the others I have been to, I wouldn’t rank it so high.’
Robin Hood Gardens housing estate, in Tower Hamlets, Poplar, London
Aerial view of housing and buildings in North Kensington including the Trellick Tower flats designed by Erno Goldfinger
When asked to pick an estate that stood out for better reason, the 24-year-old chose the Robin Hood Gardens building in east London’s Tower Hamlets – citing an ’emotional connection’ with the site and the fact it is going to be demolished.
Noris said: ‘I really enjoyed shooting there and the story behind it.’
‘The concept behind it – the twin front doors to promote community cohesion on the walkways – there was a lot of thought behind it but it just failed to live up to expectations.’
Along with Robin Hood Garden, Noris said the Barbican Centre is also a favourite because of the local amenities.
He added: ‘They’ve got all the amenities; cinema, art centres and a library. It is just a complete estate.
‘The Barbican is by far the most successful housing state because of how ambitious it was and the location.’