Croydon's tower: reconciling old traumas and new hopes

The suburban town of Croydon exists as one of London's thirty-three boroughs. Located to the south, it has historically been an important gateway bridging central London with South East England. Croydon has the largest population of all the boroughs, boasts the third largest office stock in London and the largest shopping centre in south London. This article examines how Croydon's changing architectural landscapes remember, and rework, urban traumas. It focuses on the adaptive reuse of Croydon's 1960s podium and tower office stock; the iconic Nestle Tower is discussed as an exemplar.