Home / Arts and Entertainment / 35-Year Fight Ends: 'Britain's Ugliest Building' is Protected
35-Year Fight Ends: 'Britain's Ugliest Building' is Protected
10 Feb
Summary
- London's Southbank Centre arts complex, once dubbed 'ugliest building', now Grade II listed.
- The 35-year campaign sought protection for this Brutalist architectural landmark.
- Listing ensures preservation of the complex's concrete forms and interiors.
The Southbank Centre arts complex in London, once publicly derided as "Britain's ugliest building," has officially achieved Grade II listed status. This significant designation concludes a 35-year campaign by the Twentieth Century Society and Historic England to protect the Brutalist landmark. The decision by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport means any future alterations to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Hayward Gallery, and surrounding walkways will undergo strict heritage review.
Initially opened in October 1967 and designed by a team led by Norman Engleback, the complex has been a consistent focal point for debate regarding post-war British architecture. Despite its controversial reception, it is now recognized as a major cultural hub on the Thames and a defining example of its architectural style. The Royal Festival Hall, part of the complex, received Grade I listing in 1988.
Catherine Croft, director of the Twentieth Century Society, expressed her delight, stating that Brutalism has "finally come of age." She highlighted this as the society's longest-running campaign, now successfully preserving a globally admired concrete masterpiece. The Southbank Centre's management has indicated the listing underscores the need for government investment, requesting £30 million for infrastructure improvements.
