25 OCTOBER 1946, Page 12

Exhibition

"New Homes from Old." At The Tea Centre, 22, Regent Street, W.1.

ONE of the most attractive features of this admirable little exhibition on House Conversion, organised by the Housing Centre, is the evidence it testifies proving that not only can house conversion be undertaken without too great a difficulty but that it is being under- taken on a fairly considerable, if still inadequate, scale. The photo- graphs are real photographs, the plans are genuine plans. The exhibi- tion as a whole bears the stamp of being not an idealist's blue-print for paradise, but an expert's practical solution of a desperately serious problem—the housing shortage. This is excellent and it is to be hoped that the exhibition will receive the support it deserves. No one, of course, is any longer in doubt of the urgent need for, and the comparative simplicity and cheapness of, converting into smaller family units the large house that has outlived the function for which it was designed. But this exhibition, in an extremely graphic and pictorial manner, presents first the individual problem, then the practical solution. Over 25o,000 houses are suitable and ready for early conversion in this country and, as it is pointed out, the advan- tage of the conversion of an existing house is not solely limited to the speedy provision of urgently needed accommodation but it possesses in itself' inherent advantages over new building in the availability, without further cost, of such items as drainage, power, transport, shopping centres and so on.

One of the most interesting sections of the exhibition deals with the equipment for, and the transformation of, the kitchen, often one of the thorniest problems for the converter. One particularly admir- able demonstration shows what can be done at relatively little cost in the way of modernisation—and a glance at these display units will convince most how sadly their own kitchens are out of date. It is true that most of the items shown will increase the anguish in the soul of the present-day housewife and househusband, particularly as the gap is still so formidable between the times of appearance on the showman's shelves and delivery to the harrassed family. But it is a slight consolation to know that eventually our domestic chains will be partially lightened. Meantime, in the fashion of the time, the insolvent must continue to hanker after the unattainable. Possibly the woman was rather unnecessarily pessimistic who remarked with gloomy satisfaction, while looking at an over-all heating unit : " The only reason they hold these 'ere exhibitions is to encourage the tired donkey by holding a carrot in front of his nose. And I'm fed up