Events and Activities

We run a full programme of events to help people learn more about 20th century architecture. These events also help to raise general public awareness of important post-1914 buildings and fund our campaigning work.

We organise half-day, full-day or weekend walks and tours all over Britain, led by experts and enthusiasts and supported by detailed tour notes. Often we gain access to buildings not normally open to the public. Once or twice a year, there is a longer trip to a foreign city: in recent years we have visited Los Angeles, Lisbon, Tallinn and Havana.

We also regularly offer illustrated lectures on 20th century architecture and design topics. These are informal events where members can meet over a glass of wine.

Many events are open to everyone, but Society members pay less and are able to book in advance.  Full details of forthcoming events are given on our website and in our magazine for members which appears three times a year.

We also welcome ideas for future walks and tours. If you have a suggestion please contact the Society office or complete our form. 

Downloads

• Suggest an Event Form (*.doc, 42KB)

Events

As I write this introduction, C20’s thirtieth anniversary year is drawing
to a close, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members who have attended events during the last twelve months. As ever, huge thanks are also due to all our event organisers for being so generous with their energy, time and expertise. As usual, we begin the year with a slide show, but with a difference. I’m sure that all members attending events will be familiar with John East, bedecked with camera equipment, waiting for the best photo opportunity, and the first slide show will be exclusively from John’s photographic record of events in 2009.

Our lecture series, ‘Britain’s Changing Towns’, begins with a scoop for C20. Jonathan Meades, the only architecture commentator to have his own You Tube shrine, will be giving the first lecture in the series, on Ian Nairn. Book early! As in previous years, we start with visits planned by our regional groups, and this year is no different with a lecture on Bath from the SW group and a walk around Manchester from the NW group.

The Spring season continues with a rare chance to visit the City of Westminster Archive, a talk by Eva Branscome on our proposed visit to Vienna later in the year, and a chance to see Selby and York by heritage coach. The SW group offers us an exciting visit to Bristol and North Somerset to see buildings by the little known Artist Constructor brothers.

Bobby Drake’s eagerly awaited second trip to Switzerland follows and there is a walk in the original garden city, Letchworth. Due to high demand, there is another chance to go to Nottingham with Elain Harwood, and to see East End Modern again with Richard Gray. The season finishes with a visit to the Architecture Association’s country campus to look at experimental timbertinues ibuildings, a weekend on the Isle of Wight, a day of exclusive Society access to The Homewood, a visit to Mill Hill, and a Blunden Shadbolt day in Surrey. You may notice that Spring events this year could be considered less ‘London-centric’—but this is of course heavily dependent upon members outside London being prepared to organise events. As always I would welcome your comments. Read more here ...

Nevil Hopkins. Hon Events Sec.

Lectures

The Twentieth Century Society runs two series of lectures a year. This year the spring lecture series is on 'Britain's Changing Towns' and runs from Thursday 28 January to Thursday 4 March. Read more here ...

Last year our Spring series 'Second Lives for C20 masterpieces' covered a series of buildings of world class importance which had undergone major conservation work, and our Autumn series 'My Parent, the Architect' featured children of architects discussing the lives and works of their parents.  

Non-C20 Events

We sometimes list other events, lectures and conferences that may be of interest to C20 members. Please contact website@c20society.org.uk if you have a relevant event that you would like listed. Read more here ...