2-46 and 62-92, Whickham Gardens

NZ2764SW 1833/31/10160

BYKER WHICKHAM GARDENS Nos 2-46 and 62-92

(Formerly listed as: WHICKHAM GARDENS, BYKER 2-46 AND 68-92)

22-JAN-07

GV II* Five terraces of flats and houses, part of a sixth terrace (64-66) and two bungalows (Nos. 80 and 86). 1978-81by Ralph Erskine's Arkitektkontor; site architect Vernon Gracie; structural engineer, White, Young and Partners; main contractor, Fairclough Buildings Ltd.

Nos. 80 and 86 of grey brick, the rest of buff brick on timber frame with dark brown and blue weatherboarding, with light blue eaves. Concrete roofs of Marley Modern tiles. End bird boxes and timber porches, end stairs to Nos. 42 and 44, Nos. 88-90 (all flats), with brown timber balconies and sloping plastic sheet roofing. Brown bird boxes to end walls of Nos. 80 and 86, which have red-brown weatherboarding. Timber windows in timber surrounds with aluminium opening lights; timber doors with glazed panel, some renewed in hardwood. Blue fences an integral part of the composition.

At a late stage in the design it was decided to incorporate some flats as well as houses, to provide a range of housing sizes, although the houses were placed nearer Ayton Park, which the scheme abuts. This reflected the changing demography of the area, for Ayton was the first scheme developed after the old housing was entirely cleared and the original residents rehoused, so that it was designed to attract people from outside the original Byker area.

HISTORY: See under 1-75 Dunn Terrace

SOURCES: See under 1-75 Dunn Terrace