Alexander Road Estate

Some pictures of the Alexander Road Estate, Camden, North London (I hope to do a further post later after some research). Completed in 1978 by Neave brown of Camden council's architecture department. Given grade two* listed status by English heritage. Part of the 'streets in the sky' movement, all cars are out of sight and pedestrians take priority.  The main route through the estate ...

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Recent Listing Updates 24/09/13

Preston bus station has been given listed status at grade 2 by culture minister Ed Vaizey. This will make it much more difficult (although not impossible) for it to be demolished under the current plans by Preston city council.  Another brutalist icon has also been listed at grade 2*, a electricity substation on Sheffield. Also being listed was a concrete cold war bunker at Gravesend. Another building of some interest (although not brutalist) is Sir Norman Fosters relatively new but iconic high-tec...

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EXHIBITION: Brutalist architecture in London

Following the brilliant exhibition at the new Wellington arch exhibition space at Hyde Park corner which celebrated the story of preservation during the 20th century of 19th century architecture by the likes of John Betjeman (Pride and Prejudice [now finished]) there now follows another exhibition this time the fight for the preservation of the 20th century architecture. 'Brutal and beautiful' - saving the 20th century will tell the less widely known story of the continuing fight for brutalist architecture...

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Harvey court

Harvey court on the west side of the Cam is one of many new buildings for colleges of Cambridge university. It was built for Gonville and Caius college, one of the largest and wealthiest colleges to house 100 university students. Its site is away from the traditional medieval quadrangles of the city (sitting on the opposite side of the Cam) and is situated in the area developed by the university in...

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Elliot house

Norwich is one of Britain's most historic cities and much of its post-war architecture  has been relatively sympathetic to the character of the city. Elliot house on Ber street is one example of a relatively sympathetic building in a historic environment. It was built on the site of older medieval buildings (similar to those which survive) which survived the war but were subsequently demolished...

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Birmingham Central Library

Birmingham central library is a classic brutalist building designed by John Madin and opened in 1974 to replace the old Victorian central library. Despite its importance it will shortly be demolished as Birmingham's new library is completed in 2013.  Before it is demolished I hope to visit and take a good look round but in the mean time here are some great pictures from a photography blog.  ...

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Liverpool Sugar Silo

When travelling along the dock road out of Liverpool there is a surprising structure of concrete which dominates the corner of Bankfield street and Derby road. It surely makes one of the must unusual and unique dock buildings in Liverpool, a city with a rich selection of dock buildings of all ages.  The building was built in 1955-57 by the Tate and Lyle's engineering department to store sugar as it came in to the port of Liverpool. The building...

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Kingsway tunnel ventilation shafts

 The Kingsway tunnel ventilation shafts are two identical structures on the opposite sides of the Mersey which provide ventilation for the Kingsway road tunnel. They were completed in 1971 when the Kingsway tunnel was completed between Liverpool and Wallasey. The two towers dominate the riverfront of north Liverpool and Wallasey sited on the dock road and on the Wallasey promenade respectively. The buildings have...

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SAVE Preston Bus station

The fight is on to save the historic Bus station in the heart of Preston (see previous post). To aid the campaign in saving this, one of the most important Brutalist works in the country sign the parliamentary petition to save it and write to the council voicing your concerns. Also make sure you share and draw attention to this buildings plight.  We need as many signitures as possible- at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43...

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Preston Bus station

Preston Bus station was built in 1969 by architects Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson of the Building Design Partnership. It was publicly funded by Preston council and occupies a large rectangular site in the city centre. It houses the bus station in a grand double height area on the ground floor and over 1,000 car parking spaces above. When it was opened in 1969 it was the largest bus station in Europe. It has always...

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