Few buildings divide opinion like the Southbank Centre. For some, including many architects in London, it is an inspiration. For others, it should be demolished. We want to take a closer look at it today after news there are new calls to list it.

A long road to listing

In the 1960s, the London County Council (now the GLA) had their Special Works Group focus on designing a new riverside arts centre. Some noteworthy architects were part of the group, including Warren Chalk and Ron Herron (the creator of the walking city philosophy). The work would ultimately create the Southbank Centre.

In 1967, readers of the Daily Mail gave the new Southbank Centre the title of ‘Britain’s ugliest building’. It got a lot of hate for the Brutalist design and all the concrete. However, attitudes can change, and there has been plenty of love for it since the 90s. Many now think of it as a ‘post-war architectural masterpiece’ and want to see it get a listing to preserve it.

Interestingly, there have been four applications to list the Southbank Centre since 1991. Sadly, each of them was unsuccessful. The latest decision was in 2018. At the time, the DCMS said “the architecture is not unique or groundbreaking”. They were also critical of the building’s “relationship to the site, its cohesion, and its accessibility”.

After declining the listing application, the DCMS issued a certificate of immunity in 2020. As a result, no further applications were possible for five years. The certification has now expired though, so a new campaign is underway.

Deserving of protection

The Twentieth Century Society is pushing for an end to the 35 year quest to get the Southbank Centre its listing. They have plenty of support, including from architects in London, Historic England, and people that now love the building.

The Society said the architectural masterpiece deserves protection. In their words, it is ‘perhaps the most totemic – and controversial – example of British Brutalism’. It warrants a listing because it ‘meets all the relevant criteria’.

Another interesting point by the Twentieth Century Society is the listing would send a very strong message about appreciating our heritage and reusing buildings sustainably. The Southbank Centre is a good example of this, particularly after two years of restoration and improvements in the 2010s.

Yet another notable point is the fact this is the only remaining South Bank building from the post war era that doesn’t have a listing. In fact, a lot of people assume it does and are surprised to find that isn’t the case.

It will be really interesting to see if the Twentieth Century Society is successful with this application. Time will tell if there has been enough change in attitudes for the Southbank Centre to finally get a listing.

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