The John Turner legacy

John F C Turner died this year at the age of 96 and it was clear from reaction to the news that he meant a great deal to a great many people in many parts of the world. Here are a few photos from my own interaction with this influential practitioner and thinker.

United Nations Habitat conference, 1976

Demonstration at the Habitat United Nations conference in Vancouver, Canada, 1976, to protest against the eviction of shanty town dwellers in the Philipines by the Marcos regime. John Turner, second from the right, is holding up a banner saying ‘PROGRAMMED HOUSING – NO! SELF HELP HOUSING – YES!’ (ref 10483)
John Turner (ref 10490)

International Design Participation conference, 1985

John Turner at the International Design Participation Conference, Eindhoven, 22-24 April 1985 (refs: 21026, 21028)

Kensington Palace dinner, 1985

John Turner (left) arriving at Kensington Palace, London for a black tie dinner for architectural educators hosted by Prince Charles, 15 July 1985 (ref 21719)

Habitat Forum International Conference, June 1987

John Turner presenting the results of a Habitat International Coalition project about self help housing worldwide which would later be published in the book Building Community edited by his wife Bertha Turner, Berlin, 1 – 11 June 1987  (ref 23602).
(ref 23607)

Poundbury planning weekend, 1989

Team photo for the Poundbury planning weekend, Dorset, 15-19 June 1989. John is in the second row, third from left in navy shirt (ref S0420).
Outdoors workshop at the Poundbury planning weekend. John is far left in brown trousers (ref S0473).
John Turner at the Poundbury Planning Weekend, 1989 (ref S0475)

Hastings regeneration, 1990

Group photo of Hastings Trust staff and volunteers outside the Conservation Shop in the High Street, Hastings Old Town, 1990. John Turner is one third in from the left with his wife Bertha in front of him (ref S1079).

Community planning, 2011

(John Turner with Bob Hart at a community planning masterclass, 26 October 2011 (ref D20111026028).
John Turner taking part in a community planning masterclass organised by Nick Wates Associates, Creative Media Centre, Hastings, 26 October 2011. From left: Penny Precious, Judy Dewsbery, John Turner, Graham Hodgson (Ref D20111026035, top D20111026028)

Legacy London seminar, 2017

On the train from Hastings with Mauricio Vicenti (ref D20170221948)
At a seminar titled ‘Towards an autonomy of housing; Legacy and topicality of John F C Turner’s work in Latin America and beyond’, Development Planning Unit, University College London, 21 February 2017.  From left: Geoff Payne, Hans Harms, John Turner, Kathrin Golda-Pongratz, Mauricio Vicenti, David Satterthwaite (ref D20170221959) .
At the reception afterwards (ref D20170221011)

A roof of my own, 2019

A screening of ‘A roof of my own’ during the St Leonards International Film Festival, Blackmarket VIP (George Street Hall), Hastings Old Town, 27 January 2019. From left: John Turner, Beth Turner, Heidi Berry (Ref: D20190127529)
John during the Q & A, 7 January 2019  (ref D20190127535).

Team  celebration, 2019

The Beacon, Hastings, 6 December 2019. From left: Beth Turner, John Turner, Kathrin Golda-Pongratz, José Luis Oyon, Kevin Carias, Volker Zimmermann  (ref D20191206300).

Some links to further info

Guardian obituary by Geoff Payne
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/26/john-turner-obituary

From the JFCTurner archive
http://www.communityplanning.net/JohnFCTurnerArchive/index.php

Housing Agency, by Cassim Shepard, Places Journal, November 2023
https://placesjournal.org/article/housing-legacies-of-john-turner/
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