Back to Back-to-back: The Re-emergence of England’s Most Common House Type

Long associated with slum conditions and banned in 1909, the back‑to‑back house is one of England’s most maligned housing types.

This talk by Hal Mellen explores its divisive history, recent revival and contemporary relevance, drawing on case studies to argue for its cautious re‑use today.

The back-to-back house is perhaps the most derided form of housing in the history of England, rivalled only by the widespread condemnation of modernist housing estates erected in post-war Britain, both associated with antisocial behaviour and reinforced by film, television and dog-whistle politics. Back-to-backs are strongly linked to slum conditions, including overcrowding, poor sanitation and the spread of disease, and were ultimately banned nationally in 1909 by the UK Parliament following decades of debate over the culpability of the housing form. This debate progressed in parallel with the introduction of local byelaws intended to improve urban living standards, and many scholars argue that later examples achieved levels of daylighting, ventilation and sanitation comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, those of through houses.

Nonetheless, over recent decades, and particularly in the last ten years, the typology has experienced a notable revival. Several highly respected architects have delivered award-winning schemes demonstrating how back-to-back forms can make effective use of small, complex and otherwise challenging urban sites, particularly in London. In many respects, these contemporary interpretations offer a solution well suited to present-day pressures. They support high-density, human-scale, energy-efficient homes that are comparatively economical to construct, unlocking centrally located and well-connected sites that may include heritage sensitivities or other constraints.

In this talk, Hal Mellen will discuss the key themes and findings from his soon to be published book, Back to Back-to-back: The Re-emergence of England’s Most Common House Type. He will explore the complete history of the back-to-back, why it became so widespread, what led to its downfall and the factors that have enabled its return. Following this excursion back in time, he will outline the key design principles that should be followed in the design of new back-to-back housing, guided by case studies included in the publication.

Mellen’s central argument is that the deterministic view that a particular building typology was responsible for the foul and distressing living conditions of the 19th century is misguided. Instead, these conditions arose from a combination of forces, including rapid urbanisation, inadequate sanitation, scientific misunderstanding and speculative, unregulated development. The re-emergence of the back-to-back house should therefore be approached with cautious optimism. Like all housing types, it can be designed well or badly. It is not the sole solution to the housing crisis we face today, but it deserves careful consideration and should not be dismissed out of hand.

Funding for Mellen’s research was provided by the Academy of Urbanism through the Small Grant Scheme.

Hal Mellen is an Associate Urban Designer at ADAM Architecture, working across projects ranging from small village extensions to new settlements. He has a particular focus on contextual urban design and uses an understanding of the architectural and morphological history of place to inform his work. He is especially interested in urban structure and building typology, and their role in supporting healthier, more resilient places.

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