In the fall of 1964, during a general election campaign that eventually led to Harold Wilson’s Labour party taking power by promising a Britain shaped by the “white heat” of the “scientific revolution,” an innovative pocket guidebook showcasing the best of contemporary architecture in London was published. Authored by the outspoken architectural critic and broadcaster Ian Nairn, the book entitled “Modern Buildings in London” quickly gained popularity and sold over 10,000 copies in its first few months. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Nairn’s untimely death, the book has been reissued.
The original publication of “Modern Buildings in London” captured the essence of the era in many ways. It was published by London Transport and copies were even sold from automatic vending machines in select stations, reflecting the spirit of the times. The book’s significance lies not only in its historical value but also in its ability to provide insight into a London that has largely disappeared. While some of the architectural landmarks mentioned in the book still exist, their absence tells its own story about the changing trends in architecture, politics, and culture. It also signifies the unfulfilled promises of a future that never quite materialized.
One example of a lost building is the Zidpark car park on Upper Thames Street, which was described in the book but has since been demolished. However, there are still many buildings mentioned in Nairn’s guide that remain standing in the inner districts of Soho and Westminster. To explore these buildings, I embarked on a walking tour of the area.
One of the first buildings I encountered was Kemp House on Berwick Street in Soho. Designed as public housing for Westminster City Council and built in 1960, Kemp House retains its discreet presence over Berwick Street Market. The main tower, where writer Jeffrey Bernard once resided, remains relatively unchanged. The recent redevelopment work has added 16 new flats and a Premier Inn, which has further enhanced its period charm. However, the newly built developments in the area follow a generic London brick block model that lacks the modernity and uniqueness of the buildings in Nairn’s guide.
New Zealand House on Haymarket, on the other hand, is a glass and concrete skyscraper that embodies the jet-age architecture of the 1960s. Designed by Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners, it stands tall over Pall Mall and Haymarket’s theatreland. Although the building is currently closed for renovation, the hoardings promise to restore its iconic Modernist reception area to its former glory. This restoration project reflects the changing attitudes towards preserving and reviving Modernist architecture from that era.
The Admiralty Citadel, located on The Mall, is another intriguing architectural legacy from the Second World War. Described by Nairn as a “glorious and very English folly,” it stands next to the classicism of the Admiralty. This concrete bombproof bunker adds a touch of curiosity to the capital, hidden in plain sight near Buckingham Palace. Nairn’s appreciation for this type of architecture seems to align with our current fascination with post-industrial ruins and edgelands.
Although Nairn generally disapproved of backward-looking neo-Georgian architecture, he did express admiration for Schomberg House on Pall Mall. The house is a blend of the late seventeenth century and a replica built in 1958. While Nairn appreciated the replication as an “impeccable” match, it is unlikely he would have approved of the modern practice of facadism, which involves preserving the frontage of older buildings while constructing new structures behind them.
Overall, exploring the buildings mentioned in Nairn’s guide offers a glimpse into a bygone era of architectural design. Some buildings have withstood the test of time, while others have been lost to progress. However, the reissued guide allows us to appreciate the creativity, uniqueness, and vision of these architects and provides valuable insight into the ever-changing landscape of London’s architecture.
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