The Twentieth Century Society C20
The Twentieth Century Society (C20) is a British charity with interests that focus on 20th-century Britain. It is concerned with the preservation of architectural heritage after 1914. This was the age where buildings were no longer protected by the Victorian Society and it was also the year that World War 1 started.
It was established in the 1979, when it was called the Thirties Society, in response to the threat to demolish Sir Edwin Cooper’s Classical building for Lloyds of London. There was a growing understanding in the 1970's of 20th Century design and the need to protect objects that at the time had no protection.
One of the the most significant cases was The Firestone Factory by Wallis Gilbert & Partners, an Art Deco building that was demolished in 1980 by its owners over a bank holiday weekend on the eve of it being listed. This loss galvanised support for the protection of C20th buildings and led directly to the listing of 150 inter-war buildings, including Battersea Power Station. A number of other campaigns followed, including Bracken House, red telephone boxes and the rescue of outdoor lidos. In 1992 the Society changed its name to the Twentieth Century Society with the first of its Journals being published two years later.
In 2019 it celebrated its 40 year anniversary and today remains an active registered UK charity governed by a Board of Trustees with open documents covering governance and risk management. It continues to campaign to save outstanding buildings and design that have shaped the British landscape after 1914, both iconic buildings, and little-known gems, considered irreplaceable and under threat.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.