Workshops by Stillman Eastwick-Field, Morning Lane
This amazing building was knocked down in 2010 (along with the Berger Paint building next door) to make way for a new school building. I was very sad to see it go.Here’s some more detail from the Hackney Society website:In 1959 the Mental Health Act devolved care for the mentally ill to local authorities and in 1963 the Department of Health published a Building Note encouraging the provision of local training centres and setting out the standards and financial allowances available. In the following year Hackney Council began work on the construction of a Training Centre for Adults with Learning Disabilities at 205a Morning Lane.Designed by Stillman and Eastwick-Field (SEF) the building like many other examples of their work is elegant well proportioned and meticulously detailed. Possessing a strong character – with its concrete edge beams escape stairs and flues projecting glazed lift and stair tower (with the affectation of opening lights distinguished in a different colour) red brick panels and eau-de-nil spandrels – the design is as formal an assembly of architectural elements as any Palladian villa. Brutalism hardly seems the right word to describe such an elegant example of an increasingly rare species of post-war building.The LBH Training Centre was closed in 1970 but Hackney Social Services continued to occupy the building until 1999 when it was then leased to Space Studios – an arts charity that rents studio spaces to artists – up until March 2010. 
(photos from my flickr stream)”
benjamin
Couldn’t agree more. This was a gem which should have been listed. This is another example of how the planning office has such a limited repetoir of architectural and cultural appreciation. The preposterous piece of third-rate Victorian pastiche that recently went up next to Palm2 is another example. Why would anyone build Victorian pastiche on a 1930s building line?! It degrades everything and makes no historical, architectural or even commercial sense. Hackney Planning Office quite often demonstrates some of the most shockingly poor judgements.
traxcitement
I too was sad to see this building demolished. Architects today are adept at intergrating existing older buildings into new projects and I would have thought this could have been done here. But…It is no good us crying over spilt milk, if you care about such buildings The Hackney Society is currently updating their list of locally listed buildings and you can nominate your favorite Hackney buildings to be considered. The list was last updated in 1991 so many buildings are not on it. Locally listing or even statutory listing does not mean a building cannot be demolished but it will give it greater protection.Make your nominations here…http://www.hackneybuildings.org.uk/nominate