Housebuilding and Such Things: Tessenow Symposium
Housebuilding and Such Things: Symposium
Saturday 21 June 2025
10am – 4.30pm
The Gallery, 70 Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6EJ
The current UK housing crisis echoes the challenges of the pre and post First World War period, where the innovation–tradition balance was also in question. Heinrich Tessenow's wrote his accessible book Housebuilding and Such Things during the war and it proved immensely influential across German-speaking countries.
This symposium reintroduces Tessenow's principles to British architectural discourse and brings together experts and speakers from across the UK and Europe to explore the contemporary relevance of his ideas.
Organised by Gerald Adler, University of Kent, School of Arts & Architecture, architect, educator, and author with extensive international practice experience.
Speakers include:
Martin Boesch (Elisabeth & Martin Boesch Architects; Zurich)
Jonathan Sergison (Sergison Bates architects; London)
Hana Loftus (HAT Projects; Colchester)
Hartmut Frank (Emeritus Professor, HCU Hamburg)
Jurjen Zeinstra (Assistant Professor, TU Delft)
Alan Powers (former chairman of C20)
A detailed programme will be provided closer to the date.
This symposium is part one of a two-day celebration of the legacy of Heinrich Tessenow. There will be a walking tour 'Housing in South London – a Tessenow-related selection' on the following day. You can book for the tour here.
This is a joint C20 and Centre for the Sustainable Built Environment, University of Kent event.
In Person:
Non-Members £35;
C20 Society Members £25;
University of Kent staff £25*;
Students £5**;
Young C20 member free*
*For University of Kent staff; Young C20 members, please email coordinator@c20society.org.uk to secure a place.
**For student pricing please select from the dropdown option next to ‘membership number’ on the booking form below.
Above: Festival Hall and guest houses in Dresden, Hellerau.
CC license SchiDD.