Here For The History
Why Do We Have ‘Ugly’ Buildings?
13 August 2026
Available for over a year
Modern buildings are ugly - that’s what opinion polls suggest - but if it’s true, what’s the story behind it?
Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton see how a Swiss architect turned the British establishment against traditional architecture, and how his followers rebuilt British cities in the hope of improving society.
For some, modern architecture is a crime against the public realm. For others, it’s iconic. Alice and Ben explore the debate over the decades.
Subscribe to the podcast on BBC Sounds and on Here For The History’s YouTube channel.
Key Sources:
A Short History of British Architecture: From Stonehenge to The Shard, Simon Jenkins
The Modern British City 1945-2000, Otto Saumarez-Smith
