Don’t Waste Buildings has organised a tour of East Croydon's Zodiac Court, a 'typical' outer London, 1960s complex now being transformed into much-needed new homes by Common Projects. (Book here.)

Made famous as Jez and Mark's apartment block in the sitcom ‘Peep Show’, and before that the HQ for an enterprising insurance firm, Zodiac's offices lay empty for 30 years before Common arrived.

In its heyday, Zodiac was a truly mixed-use development: flats, on top of an office, with shops at the front; a petrol station to fill up your car, and a massive dance hall for entertainment. A five-minute city!

Zodiac Court before transformation.

The massive modernist building has some amazing design features to complement its concrete structure - including examples of post-war facade art - and is a landmark for the area.

On paper, buildings like Zodiac can seem 'too hard' to save. But there are thousands of similar buildings in UK cities, all important to their streetscapes and to the memories of local people; all with stories to tell.

Common's mission to save the building and imagine its next phase has involved working closely with the Council, funders, community groups and a dedicated team including Whitby Wood, shedkm and Planit, as well as receiving research and insights from The Twentieth Century Society.

Image of Zodiac Court after transformation.

Join the tour led by Steve Sanham, Co-Founder Common Projects, to hear the Common team's learnings on design, planning, financing and engagement.

The event is free to attend and there will be coffee. Book here.