Archive

Documents, drawings, photos, and videos from the Apex Drive community

History of Apex Drive
document
History of Apex Drive
A comprehensive 10-page document covering the history of Apex Estate, the Apex Society, architect Laurie Abbott, original floorplans, build costs, the estate map, archival photographs, and press coverage. Created by Josh.
June 2023 1 file
Apex Drive Block Map
drawing
Apex Drive Block Map
Paper drawing showing the block layout and plot numbering of the Apex Drive estate. Shows the arrangement of all houses within the estate boundaries between Frimley Green Road, Church Road, and Apex Drive.
1 file
Side Elevation Drawing
drawing
Side Elevation Drawing
Architectural side elevation drawing of an example Apex Drive building, showing the characteristic split-level design with the cylindrical drum feature and the relationship between floors.
1 file
Atrium Geometry
photo
Atrium Geometry
Looking up through the atrium void, capturing the dramatic interplay of concrete forms, angular stairways, and natural light. Shows the geometric complexity at the heart of each Apex Drive house.
2026 1 file
Aerial Site Sketch
drawing
Aerial Site Sketch
Aerial sketch of the Apex Drive development showing house positions, Church Road, Frimley Green Road, garages, and the preserved mature trees. From the Architectural Review archive, 1971.
1971 1 file
Architectural Review 1971
document
Architectural Review 1971
Photographs and article extract from the Architects' Journal, July 1971, featuring the Apex Society's housing schemes. Covers background, planning context, and the design approach by Derek Sharp Associates (Lawrence Abbott). The photographs capture the estate shortly after completion in 1970, showing the original finishes, drum features, and mature trees. Source: Camberley Museum archive.
July 1971 4 files
Apex Drive Video Tour
video
Apex Drive Video Tour
High-definition video footage of Apex Drive showing the estate's distinctive modernist architecture, cylindrical drum features, and the surrounding mature trees and gardens. From Joseph Asghar's March 2025 reportage editorial shoot.
March 2025 1 file
Apex Drive Aerial Drone Footage
video
Apex Drive Aerial Drone Footage
Aerial drone footage capturing Apex Drive and its surroundings from above, revealing the estate's distinctive layout, roof geometry, and relationship to the surrounding landscape of Surrey.
February 2025 1 file
Bulk Refuse Container Application — 1969
document
Bulk Refuse Container Application — 1969
Memorandum from the Chief Public Health Inspector to the Clerk of the Council, Frimley and Camberley Urban District Council, dated 25th July 1969, regarding the supply of six bulk refuse storage containers to Apex Drive.
July 1969 1 file
Weekend News — 'Inside the Houses You Either Love or Hate'
document
Weekend News — 'Inside the Houses You Either Love or Hate'
Article from the Weekend News, December 18, 1970, by Lynette Cobb, featuring a visit inside the Apex Drive houses with commentary on design, cost, and public perception.
December 1970 1 file
1980s Sales Particulars
document
1980s Sales Particulars
Collection of estate agent listings for Apex Drive properties from the 1980s, showing how the houses were marketed and priced during that period. Includes listings from RW Best & Co (£59,500), Allen & Harris, and a detailed room-by-room specification (£99,950). Full transcriptions included below each image.
c. 1985–1988 4 files
Apex Drive Technical Drawings
drawing
Apex Drive Technical Drawings
Original technical drawings from the Derek Sharp Associates archive. Includes the large-format FRI 71/42 blueprint, architectural rendering, elevation and section plans, the cross-shaped interlocking unit plan, detailed site plan with landscaping, and the practice's stylised monogram.
c. 1965–1971 6 files
The Structure of the 32 Houses
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The Structure of the 32 Houses
Research notes on the ownership structure and tenure of the 32 houses at Apex Drive, identifying which properties are verified private/freehold and which are likely to remain A2Dominion social tenancies.
c. 2025 1 file
Exterior Photograph — Joseph Asghar
photo
Exterior Photograph — Joseph Asghar
Professional black-and-white architectural photograph of Apex Drive from the street, showing the full facade with cylindrical drum features, cantilevered balconies, characteristic semi-circular windows, and mature landscaping. From Joseph Asghar's reportage editorial reel.
March 2025 1 file
Architectural Influences & References
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Architectural Influences & References
Reference images showing the architectural lineage of Apex Drive. Lawrence Abbott drew inspiration from two key sources: Gottfried Böhm's Pilgrimage Church in Neviges, Germany (1968), with its brutalist angular concrete forms, and Louis Kahn's National Assembly Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh (1962–82), particularly its monumental cylindrical drums and geometric openings in concrete. Both buildings share Apex Drive's DNA — the interplay of massive concrete structure with dramatic natural light.
1962–1968 14 files
Surrey Heath Heritage Assets Listing
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Surrey Heath Heritage Assets Listing
Official 'List of Historic Buildings in Surrey Heath' published by Surrey Heath Borough Council (January 2010). Confirms Apex Drive houses 1–40 in Frimley are locally listed as structures of local significance. A 14-page document covering statutory and local listing grades across the borough.
January 2010 1 file
Apex 2022 Brand Identity
document
Apex 2022 Brand Identity
Brand identity package by Josh Bristow Creative (September 2022). Covers design inspiration from mid-century brutalist publications (Architectural Design, RIBA Journal, Barbican Estate), typographic approach using late 1960s sans serif typography with elongated x-heights, and the final Apex Estate logo in multiple configurations. Includes the Futura typeface used throughout.
September 2022 6 files
Resident Renovation Shots
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Resident Renovation Shots
Photos shared by residents via WhatsApp showing renovation work, original features uncovered during refurbishment, and exterior views of the estate across different seasons. These community contributions document the living history of Apex Drive — what lies beneath later modifications and how the estate looks today.
2024–2026 6 files