The Twentieth Century Society is delighted to welcome retired architect Ian McInnes as its new chairman. Ian has been an active C20 Society member for 20 years and has considerable experience as a C20 Society Trustee having served as Honorary Events Secretary, Treasurer and between 2012-17 as Chair of the Casework Committee.

He succeeds Peter Ruback who is moving into a new role as C20 Events Secretary. C20 Society Director Catherine Croft paid tribute to Peter for his nine years of leadership: “His experience and expertise in central Government policy making in particular has been outstandingly useful, during a period of immense volatility when the basic premise that planning controls are a good thing, and the best way to achieving a positive future for the environment and for all of us, has been repeatedly challenged by misguided pro-development agendas, which regard planning as nothing more than irritating red-tape. But he has made a huge contribution across the full breadth of our activities, and I’m delighted he is staying closely involved.”

Catherine welcomed Ian to the role: “Ian is immensely well qualified for the job. He brings management and leadership experience in amenity and arts charities, plus knowledge of mid-century modern housing and post WW2 workplace architecture and design. He has travelled far and wide to see C20 architecture and is enthusiastic to carry on sharing his passion with C20 members.”

Ian has an AA Masters in Conservation – his thesis was on post war office buildings in London’s West End and he contributed a chapter to the most recent C20 Journal ‘Buildings for Business.’  He has organised and led a large number of Society visits and events including, more recently, the Remembering Gavin Stamp day.  He is currently chair of his local amenity society, the Dulwich Society, and, until the end of March he was also chair of the Friends of Dulwich Picture Gallery overseeing its recent merger with its parent organisation.

Ian commented: “I am delighted to be elected as the Chair of the Twentieth Century Society. My predecessor, Peter Ruback, has successfully led the Society through a turbulent time that no-one could have foreseen, and it has emerged from the pandemic lockdown in both a good financial state and with an increased membership. There is no doubt that the future of amenity societies will be different in this age of social media campaigning and online content. While casework and listing will always be a key measure of success, we need to work even harder to widen the public’s appreciation of C20 architecture and design as a vital contribution to our environment and to support conservation decisions.”