A celebration of Britain's diverse housing styles throughout the twentieth century and beyond.

This illuminating book is a fascinating insight into Britain's built heritage and the diverse housing styles of the twentieth century. Redesigned and updated in a brand-new edition, it showcases 100 houses, from throughout the 20th century and stretching into the 21st, that represent the range of architectural styles throughout the years and show how housing has adapted to suit urban life. Each house is accompanied by stunning photography and texts written by leading architectural critics and design historians, including Gavin Stamp, Elain Harwood, Barnabas Calder, Alan Powers and Gillian Darley.

From specially commissioned architect-designed houses for private individuals to housing built for increased workforces, each of the 100 houses brings a different design style or historical story. There are houses built as part of garden cities, semi-detached suburban dwellings, housing estates, eco-houses, almshouses, converted factories and affordable post-war homes. Architectural styles encompass mock Tudor, modernist, Arts and Crafts and brutalism, and featured architects include Giles Gilbert Scott, Walter Gropius, Edwin Lutyens, Powell and Moya and David Chipperfield.

The book also contains essays that explore the social and political aspects of housing design in Britain over the last 100 years, looking at the impact the world wars had on housing, exploring domestic technology and building materials and discovering how the modern house came about. This compelling book gives a glimpse into the wonderful housing Britain has to offer and is a must-have for all fans of design history and architecture.



The Twentieth Century Society is a British charity that campaigns for the preservation of architectural heritage from 1914 onwards. They provide support and advice to architects and planning authorities to protect the best twentieth-century architecture and design, whether through listing or sympathetic development and management. In 2023, the society launched a campaign to protect Britain's few remaining cooling towers.

Foreword by Cath Slessor  6

Why do houses excite our emotions? by Catherine Croft 8

1914–1924 16

What makes these houses special? by Elain Harwood 30

1925–1955 40

Labour-saving homes: the impact of domestic technology by Kathryn Ferry 92

1956–1987 98

'Now, building your house can be ever so much fun': the architect and the patron by Alan Powers 174

1988–2015 184

Acknowledgements 246

Further reading 247

Index 248

Picture credits 256