Central Hall, University of York

About

Central Hall (colloquially known as "The Spaceship" for the similar appearance to a UFO) is a building of the University of York, England, designed by John Speight in the brutalist style. It was constructed in 1966–1968. The hall is seen as a tour de force of the university, appearing on merchandise and often used as a background for university publicity. It is Grade II listed.

History: The 1970s saw some notable acts and bands perform at the hall, including The Who and The Kinks. In 1985, Boomtown Rats played at the hall. During the performance, Bob Geldof called on the audience to come closer and dance. Nearly 300 people rushed forwards and danced on the orchestra pit cover, causing over £1,000 worth of damage. As a result of this damage, no band has been allowed to play in Central Hall since. Precisely what did happen is up for debate. Student newspaper issues from the time are unaccounted for and subsequent issues follow different accounts. The brutalist appearance of the hall has attracted critics. In 2014 Professor John Rentoul, writing in the Independent on Sunday, placed the hall in 7th place of the ugliest buildings in Britain. During COVID-19, Central Hall was one of...