On the banks of the River Thames, a concrete giant has finally received its long-awaited due. The Southbank Centre—London’s post-war arts complex once derided as an eyesore—has been granted Grade II listed status, cementing its place in the nation’s architectural and cultural history. The official confirmation, made on February 9, 2026, by Historic England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), marks a turning point for a building that has courted controversy and admiration in equal measure since its 1967 debut.
The listing covers the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Hayward Gallery, and the network of terraced walkways and stairs that connect them. According to the Architects’ Journal, this decision follows a decades-long campaign led by the Twentieth Century Society, which has fought to secure heritage protection for what it calls a “post-war architectural masterpiece.” The group’s efforts finally bore fruit nearly a year after submitting its most recent bid, a move triggered by the expiration of a certificate of immunity from listing in February 2025.
For many, the Southbank Centre’s journey from “Britain’s ugliest building”—as voted by Daily Mail readers in the late 1960s—to a celebrated example of Brutalist architecture has been nothing short of remarkable. Designed by the London County Council Special Works Group, which included the visionary Warren Chalk and Ron Herron of Archigram, the centre was the last major post-war building on London’s South Bank to remain unlisted. Since 1991, it had been denied protection on six separate occasions, with culture secretaries repeatedly rejecting Historic England’s recommendations. In 2018, the DCMS dismissed the building’s architecture as “not unique or groundbreaking” and criticized its relationship to the site and accessibility compared to neighbors like the Royal Festival Hall and National Theatre.
The tide finally turned when heritage minister Fiona Twycross accepted Historic England’s arguments for listing. The heritage body praised the centre for its “bold geometric formations, clustered to sculptural effect with a correspondingly dramatic silhouette,” as well as its “use of exposed concrete in which the building’s monumental scale is countered by the fine texture and tactility of its surface finishes, executed with exemplary technical skill.” These attributes, coupled with the spatial sophistication of the interior spaces and the building’s significance as a major public arts complex, were cited as key reasons for its protection.
Catherine Croft, director of the Twentieth Century Society, described the listing as “a victory over those who derided so-called ‘concrete monstrosities’ and shows a mature recognition of a style where Britain led the way.” She added, “We’re absolutely thrilled that this internationally recognised concrete masterpiece of post-war architecture has finally been accepted as part of our national heritage, some 35 years after the Twentieth Century Society first campaigned for the Southbank Centre to be protected.” Croft called the lack of listing “a complete anomaly,” noting that the centre is “admired as one of the best Brutalist buildings in the world.” She also credited heritage minister Baroness Twycross and Historic England for their persistence, saying, “Credit must go to the heritage minister, Baroness Twycross, who has done the right thing, where her predecessors over the past few decades have failed to act, and to Historic England who along with the Twentieth Century Society, have consistently made the case for its place on the national register.”
The Southbank Centre’s architectural journey has been as dynamic as its cultural programming. The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, and Hayward Gallery all underwent a major two-year refurbishment led by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, reopening in 2018 to critical acclaim. The complex’s robust concrete forms were cleaned and restored, and its interiors updated to meet the needs of contemporary audiences, while retaining the integrity of the original design. The result, as Croft put it, is “a highly sophisticated, sculptural masterpiece, with enormous richness of form and detail inside and out. The experience it gives concert goers and gallery visitors is unlike any other venue in the country, its virtuoso spaces still unrivalled.”
In response to the listing, a spokesperson from the Southbank Centre emphasized the importance of government support for the newly protected buildings. “The Grade II-listing recognises the architectural and civic importance of the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Hayward Gallery. The listing underlines the need for government investment in our buildings—all of which they own,” the spokesperson stated. “Alongside the Grade I listed Royal Festival Hall, the Southbank Centre has asked the Government for £30 million to support improvements to our infrastructure in our 75th anniversary. We look forward to working with the government to ensure these buildings are able to thrive long into the future.”
Historic England’s reasons for listing went beyond mere aesthetics. The body cited the Southbank Centre’s creative response to a challenging site, its dramatic silhouette, and the sophisticated juxtaposition of materials and high-quality finishes throughout its principal spaces. The Hayward Gallery, in particular, was noted as the first major building project undertaken with the Arts Council and a pioneering venue for temporary and touring exhibitions. The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room were highlighted for their acoustic excellence and their role in providing a sympathetic, modern environment for small ensemble performances. The centre’s group value—standing alongside the Royal Festival Hall and National Theatre—was recognized as forming an “important, prestigious post-war arts complex on the South Bank of the Thames.”
The recognition of the Southbank Centre’s architectural value comes at a time when the venue is pushing boundaries in other areas as well. On February 9, 2026, the centre announced the launch of Crescendo, an accelerator programme developed in partnership with TikTok to support the next generation of classical music content creators. This six-month initiative welcomes ten UK-based creators, selected by a panel that included violinist Esther Abrami, cellist and politician Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, TikTok’s UK artist partnerships lead Lisa Skeppner, and Southbank Centre head of classical music Toks Dada. The programme offers bespoke mentorship, platform training from TikTok, free access to the centre’s performances and rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes collaboration with the digital teams.
The Crescendo programme was launched in response to a recent surge in classical music content on TikTok, where the hashtag ‘#ClassicalMusic’ grew by more than 60 percent in 2025. The ten creators selected for the inaugural cohort—Jennifer Athan, Anya Cookson, Alexandra Dariescu, Sophie Kauer, Sarah Irwin, Cassia Belardo, Eugenie Dalgleish, Ellie Ajao, Athena Hawksley-Walker, and Priscilla Bajomo (Sola)—represent a diverse cross-section of the UK’s musical talent. According to Lisa Skeppner, the partnership “celebrates and supports British talent while opening up access to the arts for new audiences. The programme gives these ten creators the tools, access and platform to showcase classical music in ways that feel fresh, relatable and rooted in TikTok as a hub for emergent creativity.”
For Toks Dada, the Southbank Centre’s head of classical music, the programme is about “meeting audiences where they are, and recognising the pivotal role digital platforms play in how people discover and experience culture today.” He added, “We’re excited to work with our very first Crescendo cohort during our 75th anniversary year to see how their work helps shape the way this art form reaches, and is understood by, audiences.”
As the Southbank Centre celebrates both its new listed status and its 75th anniversary, it stands as a testament to the enduring power of bold architecture, cultural innovation, and the willingness to embrace change—whether in concrete or in code.