Published on Thursday 15 December 2011 12:34
A 1960s concrete pavilion in County Durham which was heavily vandalised has been given Grade II* listed status.
Locals demanded artist Victor Pasmore’s 1969 Apollo Pavilion in Peterlee be demolished when it fell into disrepair and it came close to being pulled down.
But since it was refurbished with Heritage Lottery Fund cash two years ago, it has been cherished and has been granted Grade II* status, putting it in the top five per cent of all listed buildings in England.
When it was built, the stark concrete design was seen as the centrepiece of a wider landscape, joining the two sides of a housing estate in the then-new town.
Heritage minister John Penrose said: “This is a striking example of how abstract art and ‘brutalist’ architecture can come together to make a building that is quite unique, and all the more so now that it has been rescued from dereliction in a highly successful project supported by Lottery funding and driven by the commitment of local people.
“Listing at Grade II* means that the Apollo has been recognised as being of more than special interest.
“This doesn’t mean that it can’t be changed but it does mean that its status has to be taken proper account of if any development proposals come forward in the future.”
Nick Bridgland, designation team leader at English Heritage, said: “English Heritage is delighted that the minister has agreed with our recommendation and has listed the Apollo Pavilion at Peterlee at Grade II*.
“Named in homage of space exploration, the pavilion showed the bold optimism of those building the new town of Peterlee.
“Designed by Victor Pasmore, one of Britain’s leading post-war artists, the pavilion is as much an abstract sculpture as it is a building, providing a focal point to the small park at the centre of the community. After decades of gradual decline, the restoration of the pavilion in 2009 has once again revealed its striking design.”
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