Modernist Delights

Chichester House, Plymouth, 2025

Tall, modern block of flats with brown brick exterior and white window frames. The block has around 15 storeys and is set against a partly cloudy, sunny sky. Cars, including a red van, are parked at the base near a black metal fence.

Designed by BA Searle, opened 1968.

Leigham Court, Plymouth, 2025

A large, grey, four-storey block of flats with many rectangular windows. The façade is plain and made of concrete bricks. A car park is visible below, with a red car parked on the left. The sky is cloudy and other buildings are partly visible nearby.

A five-storey, grey brick apartment building with large rectangular windows, some protruding in box-like frames. Double glass doors mark the entrance, with a sign reading “Osney Court” above. A bush with orange flowers grows on the right, under a partly cloudy sky.

A five-storey grey brick block of flats with large pane windows, some open. Bushes and small shrubs line the base. The building sits between a pale yellow house and another structure. A blue plaque is visible on the wall, and the sky is partly cloudy.

A grey brick building with vertical slits, a blue English Heritage plaque above, and a No Parking sign on the wall. Decorative concrete blocks are to the left, a bush with green leaves in the foreground, and windows near the top.

Finally, a building so unremarkable that I couldn’t find any historical information about it! However, the ground-level details still appealed to me.

The blue plaque is dedicated to Alison Vickers Garland, a suffragist whose family home stood on this site.

Shirley Towers, Torquay, 2025

A sunny street scene features people walking past colourful shops and cafés on the ground floor of older buildings. Modern blocks of flats rise in the background under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. A silver car is parked near the pavement.

View of a coastal town with hillside buildings, including tall modern flats among trees, older houses below, a prominent brick wall in the foreground, and a marina with many boats on the right, under a partly cloudy sky.

Built 1963-6, designed by Alec C. French & Partners. Shirley Towers will be my drag name when I grow up.

Riviera International Centre, Torquay, 2025

A paved path leads to blue and green tennis courts, separated by fences. A large, modern building with Riviera Centre signage stands in the background, surrounded by trees. The sky is partly cloudy, and the foreground shows dry, patchy grass.

A large, modern concrete building labelled “RIVIERA CENTRE” has balconies and palm trees in front. Two parked cars and two people standing near a sign are visible. The sky is partly cloudy, and the area looks clean and well-maintained.

A modern, grey concrete leisure centre with large mirrored windows reflects the sky. A yellow Waves sign is on the upper wall. Bushes and palm trees surround the entrance. A paved path and grassy area with rocks are in front, under a partly cloudy sky.

A dense cluster of palm fronds grows in front of black metal garage doors set into a concrete building. The pavement consists of grey interlocking bricks. A red and white ‘No entry’ sign is mounted on the left side of the structure.

A grey, concrete building with RIVIERA CENTRE in bold letters at the top. A large circular window is above three blue doors. The lower facade features dark brickwork. Some plants and bicycle racks are visible near the pavement in the foreground.

Conference & leisure centre, designed by Module 2 and built 1984-87. For a gold star, spot the disinterested boyfriend.

Princess Theatre, Torquay, 2025

A large white building labelled “Princess Theatre” in blue letters. Several blue doors and vertical lines decorate the exterior. Palm trees and benches sit outside, with a hillside and overcast sky in the background. No people are present.

A modern glass-fronted building labelled Princess Theatre with large rounded windows, white trim, and ramp access. Posters are visible near the entrance. In the background, a Ferris wheel and hillside buildings can be seen under a cloudy sky.

Designed by F. T. W. Nixon & G. R. Todd Architects for Torquay Council, opening in 1961. As is so often the case, possibly more attractive from the back.

Staircases, Torquay, 2025

A closed shopfront with a sign reading otto. Two symmetrical staircases lead up on either side, separated by a central railing and a grated window. Overcast sky and some palm trees are visible above the structure. The area appears empty.

Pearl Assurance House, Newton Abbot, 2025

A grey, weathered building labelled “PEARL ASSURANCE HOUSE” has a ground-floor shop called “Three Wishes” with star motifs. The shopfront has blue frames and display windows. The building sits at a street corner on a cloudy day, with railings and pedestrian crossings visible.

A three-storey building with a greenish-grey stone façade. The ground floor features the Phoenix Sounds shop, its window covered with art, flanked by a shop with glassware displays and a national bank with a cashpoint. The sky is overcast.

A spiral staircase not obscured by a wall in the Docklands, London, 2025

A modern white building with a central cylindrical glass tower enclosing a spiral staircase. The building has symmetrical rectangular windows and balconies on both sides. The sky above is overcast with grey clouds.

Throwback to the same staircase from 2024 – en route to a café, I incidentally approached Barrier Point from the other side, and there it was!

George’s Diner, Docklands, London, 2025

A boarded-up, abandoned brick building with a large sign reading GEORGE'S DINER. The windows and doors are covered with timber, graffiti is visible on the walls, and overgrown weeds dominate the foreground. The sky is overcast.

The kind of photo-through-fence that makes my partner stand a few metres away looking disinterested, lest passersby think he’s involved.

Cundy Park Play Building, Docklands, London, 2025

A small, single-storey red brick building with a sloping roof sits behind a tall metal fence. There are two turquoise doors and signs on the front, with overcast skies and trees in the background. The building faces a quiet, empty road.

Breaking up the monotony of the first day back in the office with a shabby little municipal park building.

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