Experience the Bata Estate with architect Emma Twine. Starting at East Tilbury Library, visit Bata Heritage Centre and see the archives of this modernist working town, before exploring the flat top housing estate, factory buildings and nearby marshlands.

This event is programmed as part of the solo exhibition ‘New Model Village’ at Focal Point Gallery by artist Cui Jie, connecting Essex’s pioneering modernist developments with the history of the ‘Workers’ New Village – Caoyang Yicun in Shanghai, on display until 12 June.

Meeting Point: East Tilbury Library

What3words: memo.torn.idea

Difficulty of walk: Easy

Image: Bata Hotel, 1932, courtesy Bata Heritage Centre

Photo of Emma Twine © Jas Lehal

Emma Twine

Emma Twine is an architect and researcher, and an Associate at DK-CM having joined the studio in 2017. She has delivery experience across a wide range of projects, including heritage and education. At DK-CM she was responsible for the construction phase of a new education building at Wroughton Academies, Norfolk, and is currently leading on major adaptive reuse projects for the City of Westminster, London Borough of Haringey and Transport for London. She completed her undergraduate studies in Architecture and Spatial Design at Central St Martins, and undertook her Masters and Part III at the University of Cambridge. She has served as a tutor and visiting critic at both universities. Her MPhil thesis explored the writing of policy to support delivering diverse and multi-generational communities, enabling the sustainable expansion of a growing south Essex town.

In My Steps: Radical Walks in Essex

Focal Point Gallery in Southend-on-Sea are pleased to be partnering with Essex Book Festival for a series of Radical Walks across Essex, as part of their Radical ESSEX programme, re-examining the county in relation to radicalism in thought, lifestyle, politics and architecture.