Modernist Delights

The Ivory Peg, Chelmsford, 2025

A modern, white, wave-shaped building with large windows and metal railings houses a Waitrose shop. Hanging flower baskets decorate the exterior. People walk outside, and a bus approaches on the sunny street lined with clouds in the blue sky.

Wetherspoon pub in a former department store.

Renold Building, Manchester, 2025

A tall, modern white office building with large glass windows stands under a cloudy grey sky. Three cars, including a yellow one, are parked in front. Another white building and a green-roofed structure are visible in the background. Trees line the scene.

A tall, modernist white building with many windows and a zigzag side façade is seen under a cloudy sky. Snow is lightly falling. The letters “SYSTEM” are displayed vertically on the left side. Other buildings are partially visible on the sides.

A modern, multi-storey concrete building has large glass windows and a protruding glass stairwell. The word “ASTER” appears in black letters on the upper left corner. A leafy green tree partially obscures the lower left of the structure. The sky is grey.

I was having a lovely time mooching around Manchester on a workday… until the heavens opened.

Charles Street car fortress, Manchester, 2025

A multi-storey car park with exposed concrete, black columns, and bright blue stair railings. The central staircase is visible, zigzagging upward. Overhead, the sky is cloudy and grey. A tall, rusted lamp post stands in front of the building.

A large, grey, multi-storey car park with graffiti on its walls stands beside a wet, empty road curving to the right. The sky is cloudy, and modern, mid-rise buildings are visible in the background. The scene is deserted and urban.

A multi-storey concrete car park with exposed floors and railings. The lower level is covered in colourful graffiti. Overgrown plants line the base, and the sky above is cloudy. The structure appears empty and neglected.

Back where it all began.

Manchester Palace car fortress, 2025

A multi-storey car park with brown, corrugated metal panels and concrete floors. The lower level features brickwork, metal vents, and small windows. Vertical and horizontal lines create a grid-like, repetitive architectural pattern. No cars are visible.

A tall, narrow concrete stairwell with vertical grooves and tall windows stands next to a multi-storey car park. A yellow “Car Park Exit Only” sign is mounted on the wall. The sky is overcast and part of a red brick building is visible.

I can only imagine the name refers to the palatial nature of this car park, and not the Palace Theatre next door.

Lower Falinge estate, Rochdale, 2025

A run-down block of flats with boarded-up windows and doors, stained concrete, a green door, and an elevated walkway connecting two sections. The sky is overcast, and the area looks neglected with no people present.

London council estate with a concrete walkway connecting two buildings. Dark, overcast sky with birds flying overhead. Foreground features textured wall, entrance with pillars, and greenery. Brick homes and trees visible further back, creating an urban scene.

A three-storey, concrete block of flats with weathered walls and boarded-up windows, featuring a raised walkway connecting to another building. A white car is parked in front on a grey, overcast day. Blue railings and empty pavement are visible.

I am not immune to the allure of concrete walkways.

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, the owner of the estate, is currently seeking to demolish it, against the wishes of a local campaign group – more in the MEN here.

Is that enough warning signs for you? Lancaster, 2026

A dimly lit alley at night features an old stone building with boarded-up windows and a blue metal roller shutter. A bright light illuminates part of the building on the right, whilst overgrown plants and uneven cobblestone ground add to the abandoned atmosphere.

College Bank / Seven Sisters, Rochdale, 2025

Several tall, rectangular blocks of flats stand against a cloudy sky. In the foreground are trees, bushes, and a lawn with large rocks. A red car is parked on the road, and a building sign reads HALL COLLEGE on the left.

A low-angle view of a brown brick block of flats, showing several storeys with rows of rectangular windows and balconies in the centre. The sky above is cloudy and the branches of a tree are visible in the top right corner.

A tall, dark-brown concrete block of flats with many balconies and windows stands against a cloudy, overcast sky. Green trees are visible at the base in the foreground, and the building appears slightly weathered.

A cloudy day showing two tall, dark high-rise block of flats with many windows. A white car is driving along a curved street in the foreground, with trees and a few low buildings around the towers. The sky is grey and overcast.

In 2025 an independent structural survey deemed all seven towers unsafe, leading to plans for full evacuation in the coming months and growing uncertainty over the estate’s future.
College Bank, Wikipedia

Ko-Ko Lounge, Rochdale, 2025

Ridgefield House, Manchester, 2025

A low-angle view of two connected buildings: one grey with square windows and many air conditioning units attached, the other taller, red-brick with a glass and metal staircase running along its side. A green tree is visible on the left edge against a cloudy sky.

24-36 High Street, Manchester, 2025

A group of people walk past a large, grey, multi-storey building with many windows and graffiti along its lower level. The weather is overcast, and the building appears old and worn, with a red brick structure on the left and street signs visible.

A tall, rectangular brutalist building with dark and light concrete sections stands under a partly cloudy sky. The lower facade is covered in graffiti. A blurred yellow tram passes in the foreground. Other modern buildings are visible to the sides.

A cityscape view shows a blocky, modernist grey building with many windows. Surrounding it are older brick and contemporary buildings. The nearest wall at street level features colourful graffiti. The scene is cloudy with sparse traffic on the roads.

24-36 High Street is a poorly (sic) quality example of utilitarian Brutalist Architecture.
Manchester City Council planning report

Don’t hold back! Today’s rabbit hole is courtesy of Reddit user 3ssar, who commented:

Saw Lana Del Rey’s first ever UK show in (under) there, among others. Always stunk as a venue and had pillars in the middle, blocking the view of the stage

Lana Del Rey’s first UK show! They should be putting a blue plaque on it, not demolishing it in favour of 361 apartments with commercial space on the ground floor 💔

Modernist Delights is a blog about modernist and brutalist architecture. Find out more.