Whether it's rocking low-rise jeans or the resurgence of cassette tapes, the ’90s are back in a big way. But is ’90s architecture getting the love it deserves? The Twentieth Century Society thinks not, and that’s why it’s calling for 10 ’90s buildings to make a much-deserved comeback and be awarded listed status.
The announcement is part of C20’s Coming of Age campaign, which calls attention to important examples of British architecture that the group thinks deserve listed status. All the buildings are 1994 babies, and now that they’re celebrating their 30th birthdays they’re eligible to be considered for the listed register.
Listed status is a pretty big deal for conversation groups. A ‘listed’ building means it is recorded on the National Heritage List for England and thereby has legal protection from being knocked down. Any changes to the building then require special planning permission.
The campaign group says that buildings aren’t often considered for listed status until they’re under threat of demolition. ‘Why wait until the bulldozers are poised to intervene and try to protect outstanding British buildings such as these when it is possible to make an objective judgement far earlier?’ says director Catherine Croft.
‘With Coming of Age, the Twentieth Century Society proposes another way. These wonderfully rich and varied buildings offer us a snapshot of the now not-so-recent past.’
There are three grades of listing depending on how rare and exceptional the building is, going from Grade II, Grade II*, to the uber-special Grade I ranking. And the list isn’t technically just for buildings either – other important sites can be given list protection, including shipwrecks, special gardens and historic battlefields.
Here’s just a few of the underrated sites turning 30 this year that the 20th Century Society reckons deserve a bit of love.
Waterloo International Terminal, Lambeth
One of Britain’s most ambitious civil engineering projects was finally finished 30 years ago this week. The Channel Tunnel was officially in action, and the first Eurostar strain left Waterloo International Terminal. The stunning glass and steel structure remains as impressive as ever, and the station has got a new lease of life becoming a hub for regional train trips in 2018. We might now associate the station with slog of the morning commute rather than whisking off to sunny Europe, but it remains a staple of British architectural history and C20 thinks it should stay that way.
Pepsi Max Station, Blackpool
Don’t let the word ‘station’ fool you – you won’t find high-speed trains smoothly sailing to Europe, champagne in hand. Instead at Pepsi Max Station you can expect to be flung into the Lancashire sky on what was once the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world. The towering Blackpool Pleasure Beach ride hurtles punters out of the ingeniously designed carriage ‘station’, where up to 1,700 passengers an hour could shuffle through on their way to be pelted out in a Pepsi Max can. It’s ’90s architectural ingenuity at its most adventurous – and not for the faint of heart!
Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran
A tasteful dash of eco-modernism tucked into the scenic coastline, the Welsh Wildlife Centre at Cilgerran opened its doors in 1994 and quickly scooped The Royal Society of Architects in Wales Building of the Year award. The design marries a humble woodland hut with a curved glass pavilion overlooking a stunning stretch of local flora and fauna.
RAC Regional Control Centre, Bristol
Car breakdown companies aren’t usually associated with creative, daring and bold design sensibilities, but maybe we should rethink that. The RAC regional control centre in Bristol makes a statement with its unusual guitar-pick shape, towering glass and jutting architectural features. Situated near the motorway, lucky commuters can get a glimpse of its architectural ambition as they cruise on past. Now C20 is hoping to get the building legally protected so it can be marvelled at for generations to come.
You can view the full list of buildings included in the Coming of Age campaign on the C20 Society website here.
Check out more stunning architecture around the UK with the 2024 Heritage at Risk updates
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.