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Listed, but not as you know it: the arch...

26 October 2026

Listed, but not as you know it: the architecture of the 1970s

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By Julie Talbot Insurance Advisor

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When you picture a listed building, what comes to mind? A Georgian townhouse, a timber-framed cottage or a centuries-old country house? It is common to associate listed status with age, but Britain’s architectural heritage hasn’t stopped being created! In fact, the later decades of the 20th century produced buildings that have been recognised for their architectural or historic importance. Historic England notes that greater selectivity is applied to post-war buildings, making those that are listed particularly interesting examples of their period.

For the first in our series exploring listed buildings through the decades, we are heading back to the 1970s. It was an era of bold ideas, changing towns and cities, and architecture that still has the ability to divide opinion today.

A decade that wasn't afraid to build differently

The architectural landscape of 1970s Britain can look dramatically different from the heritage we tend to celebrate on chocolate boxes and postcards.

Concrete became a defining material of many major projects, while architects experimented with scale, structure and new approaches to the way people lived, worked and moved through towns and cities. Some of the best-known examples are today associated with Brutalism and late Modernism, while Post-Modernism began to emerge during the decade as a reaction against Modernism.

These buildings were not attempting to imitate the past. Often, the ambition was precisely the opposite.

That makes their place in Britain’s heritage particularly interesting. We readily understand why a medieval church or Georgian terrace should be preserved. A concrete theatre, housing development or office building can prompt a rather different conversation about what deserves to survive.

And that is exactly where listing becomes interesting.

The National Theatre, London

Few buildings demonstrate the confidence of post-war architecture quite like London’s National Theatre.

Designed by Denys Lasdun, the complex was constructed between 1969 and 1977. Its layered concrete forms make it one of Britain’s most recognisable examples of post-war modernist architecture.

There is very little about it that conforms to the popular image of a “historic building”. There are no Tudor beams, Georgian sash windows or ornate Victorian façades. Instead, its architectural identity is built around concrete, geometry, terraces and imposing forms.

That is precisely why buildings from this period add something different to the story of Britain’s listed heritage. They demonstrate that architectural significance can be found in experimentation just as readily as craftsmanship inherited from centuries before.

The Willis Building, Ipswich

The 1970s also produced buildings that experimented with completely different materials and aesthetics.

The Willis Building in Ipswich, designed by Norman Foster, is a striking example of the glass architecture that emerged during the decade. Its reflective exterior offers a very different interpretation of what an important building can look like compared with traditional historic architecture.

Buildings like this help tell the story of a period when architects were exploring new relationships between design, technology and the workplace.

Seen today, their age can be deceptive. A building from the late 1970s may feel comparatively modern, particularly next to the centuries-old properties we normally associate with heritage. But several decades of architectural history now separate us from the ideas that produced them.

The legacy of concrete

Perhaps no material is more closely associated with Britain’s post-war architecture than concrete.

Its use allowed architects to create dramatic shapes and large-scale structures, but it also contributed to the contentious reputation of some buildings from the period. Brutalist architecture in particular remains capable of inspiring strong opinions.

Preston Bus Station provides an interesting example of how perceptions can evolve. Although it actually opened just before the decade began, in 1969, its architecture belongs firmly to the post-war movement that shaped the years that followed.

Designed by Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson of Building Design Partnership, with E H Staziker and Ove Arup and Partners, the enormous bus station incorporates a multi-storey car park and is now Grade II listed. It gained its listed status in 2013.

A bus station might not be the first place most of us would expect to encounter protected architecture, which makes it a particularly good reminder of just how broad the idea of heritage can be.

What makes a 1970s home special?

The architectural experimentation of the 1970s wasn’t confined to theatres, offices and public buildings. The decade also produced some remarkable homes, with architects rethinking not only how houses should look, but how people should live in them.

Rather than following the conventional arrangement of separate rooms leading from a hallway, more adventurous 1970s homes could be designed around open-plan and split-level living. Changes in floor level helped to define different spaces without enclosing them behind walls, while large areas of glazing brought more light into the home and created a stronger connection with the garden or surrounding landscape.

One of the most recognisable ideas associated with the period is the conversation pit, or sunken seating area. Instead of placing sofas within a conventional sitting room, seating could be built into a lowered section of the floor, creating a distinct space for people to gather. Today, a feature like this can look unmistakably 1970s, but in an architecturally significant home it may also form part of the original design that makes the building special.

The 1970s are part of our heritage too

Architecture does not have to be universally loved to be important.

Perhaps that is what makes the listed buildings of the 1970s so fascinating. They capture a very particular moment in Britain: confidence in new materials, experiments in urban living and a willingness among architects to rethink what familiar types of buildings could look like.

Some remain divisive. Others have become celebrated landmarks. But increasingly, the best examples are being understood as part of the architectural story that previous generations left behind.

For owners of listed homes, it is also a reminder that every era brings its own construction methods, materials and characteristics.

Listed property insurance

At Abode, we specialise in listed property insurance. Whether a home has stood for centuries or represents a much more recent chapter in Britain’s architectural story, understanding what makes it distinctive is an important part of helping to protect it.

If you’d like free advice or a quote, please contact our specialist team today on 01622 476 433.

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