Airey house
Encyclopedia
An Airey house is a type of prefabricated house built in Great Britain
following World War II
.
Designed by Sir Edwin Airey
to the Ministry of Works
Emergency Factory Made housing programme, it features a frame of prefabricated concrete column
s reinforced with tubing recycled from the frames
of military vehicles. A series of ship-lap style concrete panels
, tied back to the columns, form the external envelope.
Today many of the Airey houses; being over 50 years old, are in disrepair. The houses are one of a number of precast concrete systems listed in the Housing Defects Act. This meant that Government help for private owners was available in certain cases. Generally they are not accepted for mortgages unless repaired in accordance with certain prescribed methods. In the mid-2000s, one company began testing a refurbishment program. Their program involves replacing the concrete slabs with blocks, covered the blocks with insulation, and then facing the structure with brick
. It is hoped this remodel will result in a warmer and more structurally sound house.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Designed by Sir Edwin Airey
Edwin Airey
Sir Edwin Airey was a British industrialist responsible for the Airey prefabricated houses constructed in the UK after the Second World War.-Life:...
to the Ministry of Works
Ministry of Works
The Ministry of Works was a department of the UK Government formed in 1943, during World War II, to organise the requisitioning of property for wartime use. After the war, the Ministry retained responsibility for Government building projects....
Emergency Factory Made housing programme, it features a frame of prefabricated concrete column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s reinforced with tubing recycled from the frames
Frame (vehicle)
A frame is the main structure of the chassis of a motor vehicle. All other components fasten to it; a term for this is design is body-on-frame construction.In 1920, every motor vehicle other than a few cars based on motorcycles had a frame...
of military vehicles. A series of ship-lap style concrete panels
Panel building
Panel building may refer to buildings of one of the following types:*Built of structural insulated panels*Built of pre-fabricated concrete blocks, named differently in various countries....
, tied back to the columns, form the external envelope.
Today many of the Airey houses; being over 50 years old, are in disrepair. The houses are one of a number of precast concrete systems listed in the Housing Defects Act. This meant that Government help for private owners was available in certain cases. Generally they are not accepted for mortgages unless repaired in accordance with certain prescribed methods. In the mid-2000s, one company began testing a refurbishment program. Their program involves replacing the concrete slabs with blocks, covered the blocks with insulation, and then facing the structure with brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
. It is hoped this remodel will result in a warmer and more structurally sound house.