R.275 MODERN HOUSE

 This unassuming building in Kent epitomised late twentieth century housing for iconic model railway manufacturer Hornby. Thousands of houses were built in the UK throughout this period and this individual property embodies an archetype of the ubiquitous standardisation and suburban uniformity of the time. Using this particular example Hornby created a scale model kit ‘R.275 Modern House’ which I discovered, seemingly forgotten at the back of a model railway enthusiast shop in Leytonstone, East London. With detective work I tracked the building down to a cul-de-sac in Margate and through a series of photographs I followed the process used by the Hornby model designers to document the building. At first seemingly ordinary and lacking character the process reveals individual details and idiosyncrasies of the building.

The project includes various depictions of the semi-detached house and the model brought together to construct an archive of components - found images, large format photographs, polaroids, digitally manipulated images, publications and audio compositions. Each item in the series is given a reference number forming a visual archive, a ‘kit of parts' with which to describe contemporary suburban life.

2012