Catford - Architecture

Architecture

The 1960s and 70s had a considerable impact on the architecture of Catford. The old Town Hall, 'the Catford Cathedral' of 1875, was replaced by the current Civic Suite in 1968, soon after the merger of the metropolitan boroughs of Lewisham and Deptford. Laurence House, where many of the borough's offices are housed, is on the site of old St Laurence's Church (aka the Catford Cathedral). The brutalist Eros House, which replaced the Lewisham Hippodrome (Catford's music hall designed by the famous theatre architect Frank Matcham) in 1960, is now Grade II listed. Architecture critic Ian Nairn praised Eros House as:

A monster sat down in Catford and just what the place needed. No offence meant: this southward extension of Lewisham High Street badly wanted stiffening. Now there is a punchy concrete focus (`you know, that funny new building') both close to and at a distance, from the desolate heights of the Downham Estate, where it stands straight to the afternoon sun. Rough concrete is put through all its paces, front convex eaves on Sainsbury's to a staircase tower which is either afflicted with an astounding set of visual distortions or is actually leaning. Again, no offence meant. Unlike many other avant-garde buildings, particularly in the universities, this one is done from real conviction, not from a desire for self-advertisement. The gaunt honesty of those projecting concrete frames carrying boxed-out bow windows persists. It is not done at you and it transforms the surroundings instead of despising them. This most craggy and uncompromising of London buildings turns out to be full of firm gentleness.

In Rushey Green outside Eros House, the old village hand-pump from the 1850s survives. In 1974 the Catford shopping centre was built by the brutalist architect Owen Luder.

At the end of World War II, the 188-bungalow Excalibur Estate was laid out in Catford, and by 2011 this was the largest surviving prefab estate in Britain. However, it is now planned that all but six of the prefabs will be demolished and replaced by new housing, although many residents voiced their opposition to demolition.

Broadway Theatre, Catford, which is a fine art deco building, adjoins the town hall. This is a curved stone structure decorated with shields and heraldic emblems and topped with an attractive copper-green spire. It was opened in 1932 as the Concert Hall and is now a Grade II listed building. The interior is in art deco style. The last cinema in the borough stood opposite the theatre until its closure in 2002. Catford also boasts a Territorial Army centre and a large Gothic police station (despite the largest police station in Europe being just down the road in Lewisham). In 2006, a large blue pipe sculpture was unveiled outside Eros House. In November 2010, there was a riot against student fees increase at the town hall which ended up making national news.

Catford was also damaged in the rioting that took place on Aug 8th 2011. Argos, JD Sports, KA Rowland optician, and Blockbuster video were all destroyed and looted by rioters.