Archives building within Hampshire Record Office in Winchester one of six sites to gain listed status in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

At around 30 years old, the archive building within the Hampshire Record Office, in Winchester, is the youngest location to receive the honour by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on Historic England’s advice.

The archives site – now officially Grade-II listed – was formally opened by the Queen on November, 19 1993, during which she unveiled a wall plaque on display in the main entrance.

She was accompanied by Prince Philip who commented on how the building resembled a cruise liner.

Other sites also listed for the jubilee include the Imperial Hotel in Gloucestershire, All Saints’ Church in Birmingham, Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, the Sun Pavilion and Colonnade in North Yorkshire and the M62 motorway Yorkshire/Lancashire commemorative markers and plaques.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: ‘These new listings celebrate the diversity and richness of our heritage overseen by Her Majesty during her 70-year reign, showing how the fabric of the nation has changed and developed.

‘These sites cover the length and breadth of the country - from All Saints’ Church near Birmingham, which she opened in 1955 when she was newly crowned, to the high-tech Hampshire Public Records Office, completed in 1993.’

Heritage minister, Nigel Huddleston, added: ‘These historic sites provide a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how much life in the UK has changed during Her Majesty the Queen's 70-year reign. Listing them as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations is a fitting way to pay tribute to the longevity of her service.’

The archive building of Hampshire Record Office was designed by noted architect Sir Colin Stansfield Smith, designer of many large-budget public schemes, in collaboration with the county archivist Rosemary Dunhill.

Local brick was used within the walls of its steel and concrete frame serving as a strong reference to the surrounding Winchester Conservation Area and the medieval City Wall remains, which lie just 66m away from the building.

Stansfield Smith’s design used newly developed ‘thermal inertia’ building principles that allowed environmental control of archival strong rooms.

In recognition of its architectural achievements, the archive was awarded a regional RIBA award in 1994.