John Spence and Partners was commissioned by The Crown Estate to design affordable housing for an area in east London once occupied by a church but badly damaged by bombs during World War II. The resulting Christchurch Estate is an outstanding development, comprising 149 homes in low rise blocks of mixed sizes. The hope was that the development would allow local people working in essential public services to live close to work and provide housing for all types of modern family – small and large.

The Crown Estate did not have the budgetary restrictions that applied to many local authorities and the design was intended to echo the existing Victorian street patterns nearby. Although the buildings have concrete frames, they are fronted with warm-toned brick and simple windows that sensitively embed the buildings within their traditional surroundings. The estate is laid out around a series of courtyards and lush gardens of trees, shrubs, and grasses that that encourage a sense of community. These shared spaces are connected by complex and well-planned landscaping that successfully separates pedestrians and traffic. The Christchurch Estate is much admired for its discreet combination of housing types, along with its elegant use of brick and concrete.