“I think architecture is at its most meaningful and heroic when it celebrates like this; the seemingly ordinary and everyday bits of time that connect us all” architecture critic Tom Dyckhoff once said.

Air travel which had started during the 50’s to the 60’s was viewed as a luxurious activity by the general public. The Preston Bus Station in Lancashire which was built in 1969 was the biggest bus stop in Europe at the time; it is also one of the masterpieces from the Brutalist Architecture movement. The rough textures created by the usage of raw concrete delivers a sense of heaviness and stability. From its appearance to its interior facilities, such as its ticketing area, the oiled iroko wood seats filled waiting area and even its signage; they are all carefully rendered. The shops and the cafes inside also shares the same style of look, which presents a scene much like one of a boarding area in an airport. Even though it’s just an approximate experience, “it allowed the people who cannot afford air travel to experience the luxury” project architect Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson both said.

Today, flying is no longer an activity out of reach, but Preston Bus Station still underlines the collective memories of that era. This is why even though the station’s maintenance costs far exceeds the costs for a whole new reconstruction; it was still approved in 2013 by the country and protected as a British Second Grade listed architecture, so that this story from history can go on.