C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List

[edit] Introduction

The C20 Society Risk List is published every two years, usually with 10 key buildings featured. The list helps the architectural campaigning charity to demonstrate how severe the threat is to some of the very best examples of the architecture of this period, and ensures that some of its longest and most intractable cases do not fade from view. It also serves to underline the fact that C20 is constantly campaigning for buildings of many different styles and dates and provides a context for individual examples.

The year 2025 represents a decade since the Risk List was first published and each year the society report and update the status of buildings previously on the risk list. Of the 50 buildings featured since the first publication in 2015, 6 have subsequently been nationally listed. In total, 32% (16 buildings) have found long-term solutions for reuse, or have promising proposals that would see them saved, sadly 20% (10) of those featured have since been demolished, and a further 48% (24) are still at risk.

There are many hard-won victories, but also a tendency towards positive changing of attitudes and perceptions both in terms of popular culture and building reuse. Another factor seen to impact action is a changing workforce with an estimate (C20 friendly developer, Seaforth Land: saviours of Seifert’s Space House) that "Millennial and Gen Z share of the workforce has risen from 45% pre-Covid to 53% now and will increase to 68% by 2030. In addition to caring about sustainability as much as salary, when polled younger workers prize the ‘authenticity and alchemy of location’ much more than their older colleagues. Whether at home or in the office, at work or at play, this is the audience who may well define the success of our Risk List in years to come. Reuse it and they will come." (Reuse it and they will come by Campaigns Manager, Oli Marshall)

For more information on any of the items on any of the lists visit https://c20society.org.uk/buildings-at-risk where it is also possible to download a pdf of the risk list and full articles for 2025 and 2023.

[edit] Buildings at Risk 2025

1. Former National Centre for Popular Music, Sheffield. Branson Coates. 1999.
2. Grand National Scenic Rollercoaster, Blackpool. Charles Paige, Harry G Traver / Joseph Emberton. 1935. Threat: Demolition
3. St James’ Park Stadium East Stand. Newcastle. Faulknerbrowns. 1973. Threat: Demolition
4. Market Hall, Bury. Fairhurst & son. 1969–71. Threat: Demolition
5. Former National Wildflower Centre.Merseyside. Hodder + Partners. 2000. Threat: Demolition
6. Reform Synagogue. Brighton and Hove. Derek Sharp Associates / John Petts. 1967–68. Threat: Demolition
7. Sunwin House. Bradford. W. A. Johnson. 1935–36. Threat: Neglect
8. Archaeolink Centre. Aberdeenshire. Cullinan studio. 1994–97. Threat: Dereliction
9. Penallta Pithead Baths and Canteen. Caerphilly. Welfare Committee Architects. 1938. Threat: Dereliction
10. Patera Prototype, Royal Docks. Newham. Michael Hopkins Associates / Anthony Hunt Associates. 1982. Threat: Demolition.

[edit] Buildings at Risk 2023

Looking back to the 2023-24 Risk List: Richard Rogers’ Channel 4 HQ has been Grade II listed, there are new plans for a go-karting centre within the brutalist Norco House in Aberdeen. In both Birmingham and the City of London, local campaigners took battles for the Ringway Centre and Bastion House all the way to the High Court, though both unsuccessful, the buildings still stand …for now. What started with a call to save the cooling towers at West Burton Power Station, has since taken on a life of its own, as C20’s Cooling Tower campaign.

1. Ringway Centre, Birmingham. Status: At risk. James Roberts, Sydney Greenwood (1958-60)
2. Scottish Widows Headquarters, Edinburgh. Risk: Total Demolition Spence, Glover & Ferguson (1972-76)
3. Museum of London / Bastion House, City of London. Powell & Moya (1977) Risk: Total demolition
4. The Point, Milton Keynes. Risk: Total demolition. Building Design Partnership (1985)
5. Channel 4 Headquarters, Westminster. Risk: Redevelopment or alteration. Richard Rogers (1994)
6. Cardiff County Hall, South Glamorgan. Risk: Future demolition. J.R.C. Bethell from the County Architect’s Office and between 1986 and 87.
7. The Riviera Hotel, Weymouth. Risk: Decline and neglect. - L Stewart Smith (1937)
8. The Jagonari Centre, Whitechapel.Risk: Further alteration and loss of features. Matrix (1985-87) .
9. Norco House, Aberdeen. Risk: Substantial demolition Covell. Matthews & Partners (1966-70)
10. West Burton cooling towers, Nottinghamshire. Risk: Total demolition. Architects Design Group (1961-67)

[edit] Buildings at Risk 2021

Two buildings on the Buildings at Risk List 2019 have now been demolished: the former Fawley Power Station in Hampshire and Walton Court, the former Birds Eye HQ in Walton Surrey, and no positive solutions have yet been found for the other eight buildings.

1. Shirehall, Shropshire. Status: Still at risk
2. Halifax pool and murals, Yorkshire. Status: Still at risk
3. Derby Assembly Rooms, Derby. Status: Retrofit plans in development (2023).
4. Cressingham Gardens, Lambeth. Status: Still at risk. 1967 to 1979 by Lambeth Architect’s Department under Ted Hollamby.
5. Swansea Civic Centre, Wales. Status: Retrofit plans in development (2023)
6. Former London Electricity Board HQ, Bethnal Green. Status: Still at risk. L. K. Watson & H. J. Coates and chief assistant D. S. Knight 1950s.
7. The Lawns, University of Hull. Status: Still at risk. Gillespie, Kidd & Coia 1960s.
8. Oasis Leisure Centre, Swindon. Status: Grade II listed (Dec 2021)
9. Bull Yard, Coventry. Status: Still at risk
10. City Hall, London. Status: COI refused (2022). Foster & Partners with Arup.

[edit] Buildings at Risk 2019

1. Richmond House, Whitehall, London. Status: Still at risk.
2. Former Fawley Power Station, Hampshire. Status: Partially demolished (2021)
3. The British Library Centre for Conservation, London. Status: Planning permission granted for demolition (2023) Long & Kentish with Colin St John Wilson.
4. Former Birds Eye HQ, Walton, Surrey. Status: Demolished (2019). 1960s by Sir John Burnet, Tait and Partners.
5. Former All Saints’ Pastoral Centre and Chapel, London Colney, Herts. Status: Now occupied by an International School. 1899 by Leonard Stokes. The Gothic convent chapel added in 1927, by Sir Ninian Comper.
6. Ardudwy Theatre & Residential Tower, Coleg Harlech, Merionnydd, Wales. Status: Still at risk. George Walton
7. Homebase Superstore, Brentford. Status: Called-in for public inquiry (2022). Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners in 1987.
8. Alton Estate, Roehampton. Status: Regeneration masterplan scrapped (2022). London County Council Architects Department.
9. Sunderland Civic Centre. Status: Demolished (2022). 1965 by the architectural practice of Sir Basil Spence, Bonnington and Collins (and attributed to John S. Bonnington).
10. BFI IMAX Cinema, Lambeth, London. Status: COI granted - Still at risk. Designed by Bryan Avery of Avery Associates.

[edit] Buildings at Risk 2017

1. Holborn Library, London Borough of Camden. Status: Redevelopment plans shelved (2020)
2. 60 Hornton Street, West Kensington. Status: Demolished (2018)
3. St. Leonards Church, St. Leonards-on-Sea. Status: Still at risk
4. Cumberbatch North & South Buildings, Oxford. Status: Demolished (2019). Robert Maguire and Keith Murray (1965)
5. High Cross House, Dartington, Devon. Status: Artist in residence while awaiting restoration. William Lescaze.
6. The Elephant & Swimming Baths, Coventry. Status: Still at risk.
7. Central Hill, London Borough of Lambeth. Status: Still at risk. Lambeth Architect’s Department under Ted Hollamby,
8. Manchester Reform Synagogue & Police Station. Status: Still at risk.
9. BHS Murals, Stockport & Hull. Status: Grade II listed (Nov 2019)
10. Dunelm House, Durham. Status: Grade II listed (Jul 2021). Richard Raines of the Architects’ Co-Partnership.

[edit] Buildings at Risk 2015

1. Former Western Morning News HQ, Plymouth - Status: Grade II* listed (Jul 2015) Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, 1993
2. Sainsbury’s Greenwich, London - Status: Demolished (2016) Chetwood Associates (1999).
3. St Peter’s Seminary, Cardross, Scotland Status: Still at risk. Gillespie, Kidd and Coia (1959-67
4. Salvation Army Hostel, Newcastle Status: Grade II listed (Jul 2015) - up for sale (2021) Ryder & Yates (1974)
5. Hove Town Hall, Sussex. Status: Still unlisted. John Wells-Thorpe (1970-73)
6. Church of the Holy Cross, Bidston, Birkenhead. Status: Feasibility study on community use (2021). F X Velarde (1957-59)
7. Bernat Klein Studio, Scottish Borders, Scotland. Status: Still at risk. Peter Womersley (1972).
8. Liverpool New Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, Liverpool. Status: Planning granted for residential conversion. Sir Ernest Alfred Shennan (1936-37).
9. Robin Hood Gardens, Tower Hamlets, London. Status: Partially demolished (2017). Alison and Peter Smithson (1966-72).
10. Hyde Park Barracks, Knightsbridge. Status: Still at risk. Sir Basil Spence (1970).

This article is largely based on the contents from the C20 website and published risk lists, for further information and details visit the C20 website directly att https://c20society.org.uk/buildings-at-risk

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