#modernism — Modernist Delights

External stairs & vent, National Theatre, London, 2025

A brutalist concrete staircase with three steep flights leads to upper levels, framed by thick railings. Metal barriers and a traffic cone block the lower entrance. The building’s geometric, angular lines dominate the symmetrical design.

Stairwell, National Theatre, London

A dimly lit concrete stairwell with dark carpeted steps leads upward and turns left; stainless steel railings line both sides. The walls are textured concrete, and a small sign reading “STAIRS” is visible above the landing.

Prince Charles Cinema, Westminster, London, 2025

A marquee on the Prince Charles Cinema displays “QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE ALIVE IN THE CATACOMBS.” The cinema’s black awning is below, and the building above has patterned windows. The sky is partly cloudy.

After a short period supporting the dramatic arts, the venue was reinvented as a kind of soft porn cinema, and began showing European arthouse movies with “a level of nudity that British and American cinema wasn’t ready for”.
Wikipedia

Not a straight-up soft porn cinema, god forbid, just a kind of one.

Exeter Switching Centre seen from Exeter Central railway station, 2021

A railway station platform with a metal footbridge overhead, a large concrete building in the background, and a white sign displaying the number 15 near the tracks. The station appears empty and the sky is overcast.

Photomator randomly opened to this photo I never posted, so I guess it’s fate.

Arena House, Letchworth Garden City, 2025

A front-on shot of a short and wide three storey building, with shops on the bottom floor and housing above. Cars are parked in front of the shops. The flats above feature almost full height, full width tall and narrow windows on their front. Trees partially frame the scene.

A three-storey red brick building with large glass windows, some open and covered by curtains. A black SUV is parked in front. Partially visible brick wall and a person walking on the right. Sky is bright with scattered clouds.

A two-storey building with large glass windows and a red roof. Ground floor shops include “Polos INTERFOODS” and “The Photo Shop.” Two white cars are parked in front, and green hedges line the street under a partly cloudy sky.

Woodstock Fire Station training tower, 2025

A three-storey beige brick fire station with a tall training tower stands behind a black metal fence. Several cars are parked outside. A red banner about on-call firefighters hangs on the fence. Trees and cloudy skies are visible in the background.

I haven’t quite worked out the GPS on my camera at the time I took this photo, so I’ve just spent a good half hour going through credit card receipts trying to find where I was that day 🤡

Thomas Hull House, Oxford, 2025

A modern building with large reflective glass windows and angled brick walls stands between two older structures. A staircase leads to a gated entrance, and a white bicycle is parked near the base. Tree branches hang over the scene on the right.

Holder Building, Oxford, 2025

View looking up between two Brutalist buildings connected by two elevated walkways, one with glass panels and another with a curved metal covering. The buildings have rough concrete and brick textures, with some windows and vents visible. Trees can be seen below.

A large concrete building with four storeys of horizontal windows, each floor lined with continuous glass panels. The structure has a tall, plain stairwell tower on the left and is surrounded by dense green foliage and some red-leaved bushes in front.

A tall, modern concrete building with narrow vertical windows and textured walls. The facade features glass panels with horizontal metal dividers. A transparent, curved canopy is in the foreground, and leafy branches appear on the right side.

Concrete steps with a metal railing lead to a glass entrance door framed in dark red, set in a modern concrete building. The wall on the right is textured. Large windows above reflect another building. A ramp runs beside the steps.

A low-angle view of a tall, grey concrete building with narrow, rectangular windows. Green leafy trees partially frame the lower right and left edges, and the sky is partly cloudy in the background.

Thom Building, Oxford, 2025

A large, square, concrete and glass building with multiple floors, seen from the front. It has many windows, a flat roof, and a central pole with lights in front. Trees and other buildings are visible on either side under a cloudy sky.

Metal exterior staircase with three flights and railings attached to a brick building. Yellow caution lines on the middle stairs. A blue bicycle and various equipment are underneath. Grass, trees, and a fence are on the left; pavement and a road are in front.

A rectangular sign reading “Department of Engineering Science” is mounted above large windows on a concrete and brick building. Metal barriers are visible in front of the entrance, and reflections can be seen in the upper windows.

A multi-storey modernist building with large, rectangular windows and concrete columns. The facade includes areas of dark brick. An outdoor metal stairway is visible on the left side. The sky is partly cloudy in the background.

Denys Wilkinson Building, Oxford, 2025

A modern concrete building with large windows sits next to an older brick building. A broad staircase with white railings leads up to the entrance. Several trees and a blue informational sign are visible, and the sky is partly cloudy.

A modern, multi-storey building with large glass windows and concrete walls stands beside a road. A street lamp is in front, green trees frame the right and top left, and a sign reads Banbury Road at the corner. The sky is overcast.

A large, modern building with angular, jutting concrete and glass structures. The lower level is textured concrete, while upper floors feature large dark glass windows. Two people walk on a pavement beside the building on a cloudy day.

Now offices, the tower used to house a vertical electrostatic accelerator – alas, my physics knowledge stops well short of knowing what one of those is. Designed by Philip Dowson of Arup.