Is post-war modernism a heritage treasure or a controversial architectural experiment?
In short: Modernist and brutalist buildings are currently at the center of Britain's most heated conservation debates. Unlike older styles, these structures often lack deep social roots, having been imposed by elites onto a population that grew increasingly hostile to the experiment.
The conservation of twentieth-century architecture, particularly post-war modernism and its aggressive subset, brutalism, has become a highly contentious issue in Britain. Professor Simon Thurley suggests that these styles emerged from circumstances unique to England. During the period from 1950 to 1970, architects successfully convinced the era's power elites that modernism offered solutions to social and economic problems, granting them the freedom to conduct large-scale social experiments. These styles arrived through circumstances entirely different from any previous English architectural movements. This makes the task of deciding what to preserve particularly complex and subtle.
This architectural movement faced a unique challenge: its ideas and aspirations were not shared by the majority of the public. While many people were initially optimistic, the population quickly transitioned from tentative optimism to suspicion and, eventually, outright hostility. Because the political support for these designs eventually collapsed, the resulting built environment often lacks the deep-seated social roots found in earlier architectural traditions. The architects of this era were given free rein to implement their visions. This resulted in a large quantity of buildings that only ever possessed shallow societal roots.
This lack of social integration creates a complex dilemma for conservationists. While there is a growing appreciation for modernist design among educated people in their 20s and 30s, Thurley suggests we may be at a high water mark of support. Because the popular imagination has not been captured, the use of public money to conserve these buildings often triggers significant protest. As the generational pendulum of taste shifts, conservationists face an uphill struggle to decide which buildings should be listed and how much experimental structures from the 1960s and '70s can be altered for new uses. The Victorians actually disliked Regency buildings, much like how Victorian structures were despised following the Second World War. Consequently, listing post-war architecture remains a difficult and unpopular task.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Saving the Twentieth Century - Professor Simon Thurley
- Also: Saving the Twentieth Century
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/ideas-saving-the-twentieth-century-professor-simon-thurley.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
