Prefabricated bungalows photographed in Clarkston Road, Muirend, in 1947. "Prefabs" were a familiar sight in many areas of Glasgow in the years following the Second World War, when traditional house building materials and skilled labour were both in short supply.
The frames and panels of these emergency homes were pre-fabricated using many non-traditional materials such as aluminium (pictured here), steel, corrugated iron and asbestos. The components were then transported to prepared sites for erection. To speed up the process of construction, local authorities were permitted to build on public open spaces and this resulted in some unusual sites being chosen for the new emergency housing.
The prefabs proved to be surprisingly popular with their occupants, and many exceeded their allotted lifespan of ten years. Nearly all had been demolished by the end of the 20th century, usually to be replaced by more traditional and permanent buildings.
Reference: Post-war housing no.1, A/7/F/97
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
aluminium, council houses, Glasgow Corporation, houses, housing estates, housing schemes, non-traditional housing, prefabricated houses, prefabs
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