1969 – Divis Flats, Belfast, Co. Antrim

This complex of 850 flats, housing 2,400 residents was designed by architect Frank Robertson for the Northern Ireland Housing Trust. Construction started in 1966 with the first three blocks completed by 1969. Eventually twelve eight-storey blocks of terraces and flats, named after the nearby Divis Mountain, were constructed. Divis Tower is now the sole remaining building from the complex. At 20 floors tall, the top two floors contained a British Army security post for many years during the troubles. This had to be accessed via helicopter. It wasn’t the only tower intended, a further half dozen was never completed. The main buildings of flats were demolished after years of increasing dereliction and appeals from the residents to be rehoused. The buildings suffered from damp from as early as five years into their lifespan. By 1984, the Housing Executive demolished three of the blocks. By 1994, they were all gone.

‘If they would have used adequate heat, there would not have been a problem with condensation, but you can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. It was very difficult. In retrospect, I realise that people weren’t as sophisticated enough in their thinking to use the flats as they were designed to be used. It’s a simple as that.’
Frank Robertson, Divis Project Architect from BBC High Life documentary, 2011