New book takes you inside Frinton Park Estate: the Essex modernist housing scheme

Frinton Park Estate, a new publication featuring captivating visuals by photographer James Weston, has just launched, exploring the modernist architecture and art deco roots of the housing scheme at Frinton On The Sea in Essex, England. The book looks at the project's history, from its beginnings in 1936 when South Coast Investment Company bought 200 acres of land on site led by consultant architect Oliver Hill, to the completion of the 25 homes (out of the 50 in total, planned by architects such as FRS Yorke and Connell, Ward and Lucas, as well Maxwell Fry and Wells Coates). The ambitious scheme exemplified the era's 'Streamline Moderne' aesthetic of naval-inspired shapes and crisp, white volumes. The result? A striking collection of 20th-century homes, seen here through Weston's expert lens.

We talk Frinton Park Estate with photographer James Weston

Wallpaper*: How did you come about the area and project? Was your shoot series the first time you visited?

James Weston: Frinton is a small seaside town not far from where I grew up. I would often go there with my parents when I was younger; I still go there now when I can.

W*: What attracted you to the project?

JW: I was always intrigued by the original 1930s houses in the area, and found some of them very beautiful. Maybe more importantly, I'm fascinated with this idea of how we perceive the future and how it actually unfolds. Not in a pessimistic way, just more seated in realism as opposed to idealism and fantasy.

In relation to this project, this manifests itself as an idealistic vision of future living arrangements, which ultimately did not materialise as was originally envisioned.

W*: Why black and white?

JW: Good question. I’ve never seen these houses in black and white. I think it adds to an ambiguous aspect of time and place, I also love printing black-and-white in the darkroom.

After starting the project, I rediscovered early books by Ed Ruscha, such as Twentysix Gasoline Stations, Every Building On The Sunset Strip, Thirtyfour Parking Lots and Some Los Angeles Apartments. These books confirmed the vision I already had in my head for Frinton Park Estate. There is a DIY aspect to them, as well as a deadpan aesthetic, all of which are in black and white. I also wanted the book to feel like something you might stumble across in the school library, like an academic textbook you might have found from a bygone era.

W*: Did the result match your expectations?

JW: As the photos are not of people, it’s far easier to control and anticipate the results, so yes the result is quite close to what I expected.

W*: What surprised you about this project?

JW: Just how important trees are, and what a difference they make to both a house, and a housing estate.

@jamesweston