From the pillars of ancient Greece to the tip of The Shard in London - architecture has seen so many developments throughout the ages. As we start this new year, it is always great to look back in our history and see what has influenced us today and going forward.

We’ve picked a selection of building design trends from the last century that have all influenced what we see around us in England. Here’s a snapshot of each:

Modernist architecture

Image source: Alan Stanton from Flickr as De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill. Edited to black & white

Modernism is where the “less is more” minimalist style was born. Also known as International Style across the world from the 1930s, this trend saw popularity through to the 1960s and even today.

At its core, modernism embraces volume, asymmetrical compositions and minimal ornamentation. It is all about the function of the building over what you put in it – this saw rise to an insistence on horizontal lines, flat roofs, neutral palettes, lots of light and an overall sense of space.

According to RIBA:

“Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier were the pioneers of the movement, with the latter having a profound impact on the design of many public housing schemes in Britain.” (RIBA: 2023).

Some notable examples of modernist architecture still standing include:

Milton Keynes Theatre & Gallary
De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-On-Sea
Marine Court in St Leonards-On-Sea.

Art Deco

Image source: Russ London from en.wikipedia to Commons. Edited to black & white

Art Deco emerged alongside the modern/international style era and is sometimes grouped into the modernist category. Originally termed ‘Arts Decoratifs’, and shortened to Art Deco in the sixties, this decorative style is known for its bright colours and bold geometric shapes.

While it shares characteristics with modernism; such as using clean lines and appreciates the minimalist agenda, Art Deco found itself associated with the entertainment world and was often used for cinemas, theatres, hotels and restaurants. This is due to its more ‘fancy’, ornamental look, and the style lent itself to more than just property – with furniture, ceramics and other possessions also adopting the trend.

Notable buildings inspired by art deco include:

Home of the BBC; Broadcasting House in London
Fleet Street’s Daily Express Building
The Ivy Restaurants are known for their Art Deco theme
The home of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) itself.

Brutalist architecture

Image source: Hassocks5489 from en.wikipedia to Commons. Edited to black & white

Despite the name, brutalist Architecture is neither violent nor unpleasant – it takes its name from the rather hard raw concrete structures (béton brut), with an emphasis on mass, weight and scale.

A post-war inspired style, Brutalism was first seen in the 1950s in the UK and the trend survived well into the 1970s. Many buildings are presented with rough unfinished surfaces and unusual shapes, as well as small windows. As with many styles around this time, brutalism also borrows the minimalism seen in modernism as everything felt as though it had been stripped back and ‘baring all’.

Regarding brutalist buildings, Chief Executive of the World Monuments Fund Britain, Dr Jonathan Foyle said:

“They are very muscular and everything is perhaps bigger than it needs to be, and for that reason I feel that brutalism is a modern take on gothic architecture… Both were designed from the inside out – the purpose of the building and what happens inside is the important part – the outside is merely the envelope that wraps it up” (Foyle: 2023).

You needn’t look too far to see an example of the Brutalist era. The Norrish Central Library in Portsmouth is a prime example of Brutalism as well as the now listed Wyndham Court in Central Southampton built in the sixties.

High-tech architecture

Image source: Photographer Alan Williams, Nicholas Hare Architects LLP. Edited to black & white

The building design trend that looks at the future. As the name suggests, the high-tech architectural style is all about engineering and new technology. It is a celebration of engineering brilliance with exposed construction elements with beams and cables displayed and coloured pipework and services. Steel and glass are popular materials to accentuate the lightweight feel and internally open plan spaces with easy optional dividers.

According to RIBA:

“Norman Foster and Richard Rogers were the key architects who brought about these changes and implemented them from the 1970s. High Tech buildings are characterised by exposed structures (usually of steel and or other metals), with services (pipes, air ducts, lifts etc.) often picked out in bright colours, a smooth, impervious skin (often of glass) and a flexibility to create internal service zones, rather than rooms or sequences of rooms.” (RIBA: 2023)

Buildings that you will recognise in the high-tech architecture style include:

Solid State Logic HQ in Oxford
The IMB Laboratories (Phase IV) in Winchester
Farnborough College of Technology library.

Postmodern architecture

Judge Business School in Cambridge — Image source: Photographer: James Davies/Historic England from The Guardian. Edited to black & white

The Postmodern building design trend is all about breaking the rules and exploring individuality. These unique structures are the epitome of experimentation and break free from the traditions of the more classical styles. Want an upside-down house, why not? A public restroom in the shape of a shoe, sure!

Postmodernism loosely has no rules, so to be ironic it will also contradict its own ‘principle’ and adopt very classical motifs but with a twist – for example the Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square built in 1991 is a very classical looking building from the front, however to the side is a wall of glass with a very modernist touch.

Local examples of postmodern architecture you may recognise include:

Judge Business School in Cambridge
Aztec West in south Gloucestershire
Craft Design and Technology Building at Bryanston School in Dorset.

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