Britain's most beautiful Brutalist buildings
9th May, 2025
Over the last 75 years, Brutalism has divided opinions. The imposing concrete monoliths dotted around the world first emerged in the 1950s and were initially called 'New Brutalism'. However, it was more of a design philosophy than a style at the time. The buildings are identifiable due to the concrete materials that are often exposed, angular and geometric shapes and a monochrome colour palette.
Whether you love or loathe them, the UK is home to some of the most iconic Brutalist buildings, all of which tell their own unique story and history. Using multiple data points, we have investigated the most beautiful Brutalist buildings. Look to see if a building in your area made our list.
The Barbican
Location: London
Year opened: 1982
Architects: Chamberlin, Powell and Bon
Listed Status: Grade II
Our Ranking: #1
Cited as one of the UK's architectural treasures, we aren't surprised to see The Barbican as number one on our list.
After The Blitz almost completely destroyed the site, the Barbican architects embarked on one of the most radical architectural projects at the time: a city within a city, raised above street level. The centre is home to some 4,000 residents across 2,000 flats, organised around a church, schools, a library and a lake, with no detail left unturned.
Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the centre in March 1982, describing it as 'one of the wonders of the modern world', and it was immediately recognised worldwide as an architectural icon, triggering debate and reflection around the world we live in.
Although the Barbican is one of the most iconic examples of Brutalist architecture, the architects (Chamberlin, Powell and Bon) never explicitly called themselves Brutalists. Their inspiration came from various styles, including Ancient Roman fortresses, French Modernism and The Bauhaus building at Dessau.
Although the building is built from concrete, the centre features an iconic conservatory home to exotic fish, terrapins, and over 1,500 species of temperate plants and trees, some of which are rare and endangered in their native habitat.
Our research shows that the centre has won 50 awards for its architecture, including the 'Most Sustainable Venue' and the RIBA International Award – the highest global accolade in the architecture world.
Hayward Gallery
Location: London
Year opened: 1968
Architects: Norman Engleback, Ron Herron, Warren Chalk
Listed Status: Unlisted
Our Ranking: #2
Described as an icon of Brutalist architecture and a distinctive London landmark, The Hayward Gallery is part of the Southbank Centre on the Southbank side of the River Thames. It was created to provide a new entrance and pavilion structure, resolve access issues, and add flexible facilities.
When the gallery opened in 1968, it filled a gap in the city's art scene. The Tate and the National Gallery could not stage temporary exhibitions at the time without relocating their permanent collection. The Hayward Gallery offered a solution to this. Today, the gallery showcases world-renowned contemporary art, installations, and a touring gallery.
A young team designed the Hayward Gallery under the leadership of Norman Engleback. The building features board-marked concrete surfaces inside and outside the building, as well as connected walkways, staircases and roof terraces. The design of the building was deliberate, to contrast with the classical Modernism of the neighbouring Royal Festival Hall.
While the building hasn't yet been listed, there have been calls from the C20 Society to include The Hayward as a listed building, in recognition of its status as one of the country's most important complex modernist buildings.
The University of East Anglia
Location: Norwich
Year opened: 1963
Architect: Sir Denys Lasdun
Listed Status: Grade II*
Our Ranking: #3
The University of East Anglia (UEA) was designed by Sir Denys Lasdun, the architect responsible for many iconic buildings, including the Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, and the Royal College of Physicians in Regent's Park.
UEA consists of classrooms and laboratories connected by walkways and glazed residential quarters. Described as a 'true megastructure', the impressive building features Lasdun's characteristic roof furniture, with concrete-housed vents and lift shafts jutting above the roofline. Students still live in the residences today, known as 'Ziggurats', and were designed by Lasdun to recall the vineyards in France or a rocky outcrop on a slope.
Today, the University of East Anglia boasts a student population of 17,707 and employs 4,438 staff members. Notable alums include award-winning authors Kazuo Ishiguro and Ian McEwan and House of Dragon star Matt Smith.
The Brunswick Centre
Location: London
Year opened: 1972
Architect: Patrick Hodgkinson
Listed Status: Grade II
Our Ranking: #4
The Brunswick Centre is a multi-use shopping and residential development, based in Bloomsbury. The centre features 560 flats, a cinema and a variety of shops, restaurants and cafes. The centre was designed by Patrick Hodgkinson, who was interested in developing a low-rise, high density building that linked the residents with retail.
The centre was listed as Grade II in 2000, and in 2002, the £22M project began to paint the blocks. Artist Susanna Heron was commissioned to introduce water features.
The centre has made many appearances in popular culture, including the 1975 film The Passenger and the 2022 series Andor.
Peckham Levels
Location: London
Year opened: 1982
Architects: Sainsbury's Supermarkets Architect and Engineers Department
Listed Status: Unlisted
Our ranking: #5
Peckham Levels (previously known as Peckham car park) was originally designed by the Architect and Engineers Department of Sainsbury's supermarkets. The 700-space multistorey supermarket stood with an exposed concrete frame and brick cladding. The car park was built to cater for customers, but fell into disuse over the years, and was threatened by demolition. In 2017, The Turner Works Architects converted the car park into 'Peckham Levels', now a meeting and cultural space for the arts, enterprise and community action organisations in South London.
Image credits: Carl Turner Architects
National Theatre
Location: London
Year opened: 1976
Architects: Sir Denys Lasdun and Peter Softley
Listed status: Grade II*
Our ranking: #6
The structure has been described by then Prince Charles as a 'clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London without anyone objecting'. Despite the harsh criticism over the years, the building is one of the most loved Brutalist buildings in the country.
The theatre forms an 'urban landscape' with solid towers and interlocking terraces. In 1994, the theatre was granted listed status, and today, the charity draws audiences worldwide.
Trellick Tower
Location: London
Year opened: 1972
Architect: Ernő Goldfinger
Listed status: Grade II*
Our ranking: #7
When the tower was initially built, it was the highest residential building in Europe and remains the tallest building in Kensington and Chelsea. In 1984, The Financial Times rated the tower as one of the 'ugliest buildings in the world'; however, fast-forward to today, the tower is loved by many.
In 2022, Trellick Tower celebrated its 50th anniversary and is home to diverse residents from different communities. The tower has made many appearances in popular culture, including 'For Queen and Country' with Denzel Washington and the episode 'Bandersnatch' within Charlie Brooker's 'Black Mirror'.
Park Hill
Location: Sheffield
Year opened: 1961
Architects: Ivor Smith and Jack Lynn
Listed status: Grade II*
Our ranking: #8
Park Hill is a housing estate in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The estate is a Brutalist concrete icon and the largest listed building in Europe. Park Hill was one of Britain's first complete, post-war slum clearances and is considered the most ambitious contemporary inner-city development.
The estate stands proudly at the top of a hill overlooking Sheffield city centre. At the time, a utopian vision was built to create a new community for families. The estate's streets are in the sky, with each home having enough room for a milk float to drop doorstep deliveries. Back then, Park Hill was an estate where families and communities lived and thrived.
Today, the estate is enjoying a new lease of life. It is filled with well-designed homes of various tenures, spaces for independent local businesses, as well as green space and community amenities.
Preston Bus Station
Location: Preston
Year opened: 1969
Architects: Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson of Building Design Partnership with E. H. Stazicker
Listed status: Grade II
Our ranking: #9
Preston Bus Station is a central bus station based in Preston, Lancashire. The station boasts 80 bays, large concourses and four floors for car parking. The station has been cited as one of the best Brutalist buildings in Britain; however, in the past, it was threatened by demolition. In 2013, the station was granted Grade II listed status and has won many awards including the prestigious World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize for its refurbishment by John Puttick Associates.
Following the renovation, the Guardian newspaper described the station as 'a thing of pride' for the people of Preston and included it in their top 10 hidden gems of local UK architecture. The station has been described as 'the most beautiful example of Brutalist architecture' and compared to the Sydney Opera House.
Royal College of Physicians
Location: London
Year opened: 1964
Architect: Sir Denys Lasdun
Listed status: Grade I
Our ranking: #10
Sir Denys Lasdun was tasked with designing the Royal College of Physicians, an institution that has been around for over 500 years. Opening in 1964, the college presented a complex blend of art and engineering and has been described as an 'eloquent demonstration of the marriage between old and new'. In 1998, the college was listed as Grade I due to it being of exceptional interest.
In 1992, Lasdun was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects' Trustees Medal in recognition of his work with the college, which is considered to be 'the best architecture of its time anywhere in the world'.
Brixton Recreation Centre
Location: London
Year opened: 1984
Architect: George Finch
Listed status: Grade II
Our ranking: #11
Brixton Recreation Centre opened in 1984 and was designed by George Finch of the Lambeth Borough Council Architects' Department. The building is considered one of the architect's most important buildings and was listed as Grade II in 2016.
Today, the centre boasts a range of facilities catering to every type of physical activity, from fitness workouts to basketball. It has recently been awarded funds for a £1.1M leisure investment.
Murray Edwards College
Location: Cambridge
Year opened: 1954
Architects: Chamberlin, Powell and Bon
Listed status: Grade II*
Our ranking: #12
Murray Edwards College was founded to provide education for outstanding women. The college's beautiful Brutalist buildings are a manifesto for women's education, with the architecture inspired by Renaissance cathedrals, which feature moving water, light, lines, and shadow. The iconic features include a dome dining hall and the Rosemary Murray Library, a stairwell featuring soaring arches, a light airy vault and concrete pillars.
The college is home to Europe's largest art collection by women and boasts impressive 14-acre gardens. In 2007, the college was the first Cambridge college to participate in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Image credit: Flickr - Plashing Vole 2010
Roger Stevens Building, The University of Leeds
Location: Leeds
Year opened: 1970
Architects: Chamberlin, Powell and Bon
Listed status: Grade II*
Our ranking: #13
The Roger Stevens Building is another masterpiece by architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon. The building is the centrepiece of the complex structures on the Leeds University campus. The design of the building is a forward-looking city within a city and is cited as a trial run for the architects for their work on the Barbican. The development plans saw the architects experiment with ideas of urban design principles, community integration, and environment.
The building contains 25-tiered lecture theatres, a refectory and reprographics facilities. The exterior is highly futuristic, with students comparing it to a church organ, a robot or a car engine.
Although the building has been seen as divisive, its listed status, which was granted in 2010, ensures the future of the building is safe.
Forton Services
Location: Lancaster
Year opened: 1965
Architects: Bill Galloway and Ray Anderson
Listed status: Grade II
Our ranking: #14
Forton Services is a motorway service station between junctions 32 and 33 of the M6, with the closest city as Lancaster. The service station was named after the nearby village and was the second service station to open on the motorway.
The services are notable for an unusual hexagonal concrete tower, named 'The Pennine Tower', which initially featured a restaurant and a sun deck. The tower was designed to resemble an air traffic control deck.
The Pennine Tower of the services has been likened to a 'spooky Star Wars' tower and was once the tallest motorway restaurant in the country. Today, however, it isn't currently in use.
St. Peter's Seminary
Location: Cardross
Year opened: 1966
Architects: Isi Metzstein and Andy MacMillan
Listed status: Category A
Our ranking: #15
St Peter's Seminary is described as an 'Iconic Brutalist Behemoth' and is one of 42 post-war buildings in Scotland to be listed because of its 'special architecture or historic interest'. DOCOMOMO International – a non-profit dedicated to the documentation and conservation of buildings, declared the Seminary a building of world significance'.
The building is a former Roman Catholic Seminary, which initially trained Priests. The building was abandoned in the late 1980s after being used as a rehabilitation centre for many years. The building is considered a modernist masterpiece and is described as Scotland's best and worst 20th-century building. In July 2020, the site was given to the Kilmahew Education Trust, which plans to reinstate educational elements of the complex.
Dunelm House, Durham University
Location: Durham
Year opened: 1966
Architects: Richard Raines and Michael Powers
Listed status: Grade II
Our ranking: #16
Dunelm House is described as the 'marmite' of Durham, as its unique appearance has often divided opinions. It opened in 1966 and today houses the Durham University Student's Union. The building won the esteemed R.I.B.A. Architecture Award in 1967, and although it has been at risk of demolition due to campaigning efforts, it was listed as Grade II in 2021.
Sitting next to the River Wear, the building features five levels connected to Ove Arup's Grade I-listed Kingsgate Bridge.
Hunterian Art Gallery & Mackintosh House
Location: Glasgow
Year opened: The Hunterian Art Gallery opened in 1980, followed by the Mackintosh House in 1981
Architect: Sir William Whitfield
Listed status: Unlisted
Our ranking: #17
The Hunterian Art Gallery was designed by Sir William Whitfield and Partners and constructed between 1973 and 1981. The art gallery is said to be one of Scotland's oldest museums, dating back to 1807 when Dr William Hunter left his collections with the University.
Whitfield designed the building's façade with exposed concrete, utilising uniformly rough textures and bush-hammered sections.
One of the most famous design elements of Mackintosh House, which is discussed by many, is its 'floating doorway'. Some argue the design is purposeful and a nod to the avant-garde movement. Others speculate that the joiners may have read the plans wrong or there wasn't enough money to complete the staircase.
Today, the Hunterian Art Gallery is home to over 900 paintings of international importance, and the largest print collection in Scotland, which contains more than 40,000 works from the 15th century to the present day.
Apollo Pavilion
Location: Peterlee, Durham
Year opened: 1969
Architect: Victor Pasmore
Listed status: Grade II*
Our ranking: #18
The Apollo Pavilion – also known as the Pasmore Pavilion, can be found in Peterlee in County Durham. Pasmore was appointed as the Consulting Director of Architectural Design of the Peterlee Development Corporation. At the time, he felt that one of the major issues with urban design was that developments lacked emotional centres previously provided by churches. To tackle this, he designed the town of Peterlee around an artwork – the Apollo Pavilion.
In the past, the pavilion has been at the heart of local debate, with calls to demolish it. However, campaigners sought funds to fully restore it, spending £400,000 in total.
The pavilion's name is inspired by the first moon landing and the Apollo Space Program, and in 2011, it was listed as Grade II*. While the Apollo Pavilion community association mention that the Brutalist style of the pavilion may not be to everyone's taste, they are proud it will always get people talking.
Dawson's Heights
Location: London
Year opened: 1972
Architect: Kate Macintosh
Listed status: Unlisted
Our ranking: #19
Dawson's Heights is a large social housing estate in East Dulwich, London. Designed by Scottish architect Kate Macintosh, the estate consists of two blocks of flats containing 289 homes. To the north of the buildings sits a nature reserve managed by the Dawson's Hill Trust.
Dawson's Heights has been described as a 'vision'; however, controversially, despite its architectural significance, it hasn't yet been listed as a protected building.
The estate's design cleverly integrates the 'streets in the sky' concept, which architects of the time used to promote efficient circulation and recreate traditional street patterns.
The estate has been praised recently as a reminder of a time before London became such an expensive city to live in, and when the council were still building good quality homes for all.
Image credits: John Grindrod https://www.flickr.com/photos/johngrindrod/15049411177/in/photostream/
Wyndham Court
Location: Southampton
Year opened: 1969
Architects: Lyons Israel Ellis
Listed status: Grade II
Our ranking: #20
Wyndham Court is a block of social housing in Southampton. The building is home to 184 apartments and 16 retail outlets.
In 1966, Wyndham Court was awarded the Architectural Design Project award and received Grade II listed status in 1998. However, the court has received criticism over the years, especially from the local press. Many praise its brutalist style, with the writer Owen Hatherley naming the court his favourite building in Southampton.
Image credits: Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Although our spaces aren't brutalist in design, many of our units are converted historical arches created perfectly for your small business. So, whether you're looking for a small office space or an industrial unit, we have you covered.
Methodology
Using the SOS Brutalism database, we created a list of over 100 UK brutalist buildings and structures, which are still standing and not at risk of being demolished. Buildings with little information have been removed from the list.
Each building has been assigned points based on data from:
- Trip Advisor reviews by number of stars
- Positive Trip Advisor sentiment
- Instagram hashtags
- Architecture Awards won
- Total monthly searches via search engines
- Whether the building has been awarded protective status
The final list of 20 buildings scoring higher than 150 points have been ranked from 1 – 20 with 1 being ‘best’.
*This article was initially published on 23/01/2025