London's modest eighteenth-century houses-those inhabited by artisans and laborers in the unseen parts of Georgian London-can tell us much about the culture of that period. This fascinating book examines largely forgotten small houses that survive from the eighteenth century and sheds new light on both the era's urban architecture and the lives of a culturally distinctive metropolitan population. Peter Guillery discusses how and where, by and for whom the houses were built, stressing vernacular continuity and local variability. He investigates the effects of creeping industrialization (both on house building and on the occupants), and considers the nature of speculative suburban growth. Providing rich and evocative illustrations, he compares these houses to urban domestic architecture elsewhere, as in North America, and suggests that the eighteenth-century vernacular metropolis has enduring influence. Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and in association with English Heritage

This book extends the concept of British vernacular architecture beyond its traditional base of pre-modern domestic and industrial architecture to embrace other buildings such as places of worship, villas, hospitals, suburban semis and post-war mass housing. Engaging with wider issues of social and cultural history, this book is of use to anyone with an interest in architectural history. Presented in an essentially chronological sequence, from the medieval to the post-war, diverse fresh viewpoints in the chapters of this book reinforce understanding of how building design emerges not just from individual agency, that is architects, but also from the collective traditions of society.

The Survey of London returns to the East End to chronicle Whitechapel, shedding new light on this widely misunderstood district In these volumes, the Survey of London returns to the East End to chronicle Whitechapel, covering Aldgate to Mile End Green, and Brick Lane to Wellclose Square. The name Whitechapel-one of London's best known-is highly evocative, carrying dark, even mythic associations. These are set aside to present new histories of all the area's sites and buildings, those standing and many that have gone, in districts that have been repeatedly rebuilt. Abutting the City of London, Whitechapel has, since medieval times, housed commerce and many varied industries. Enriched by centuries of immigration, this area has been "global" for as long as that word has denoted the world and, amidst widespread poverty, some of London's great institutions have been founded here. In the midst of these landmarks, Whitechapel has seen recent transformation. These volumes bear historical witness with hundreds of superb new photographs and meticulous architectural drawings illustrating detailed accounts of topographical development in accessible prose. They will be an invaluable resource for historians, planners, residents, and the wider public. Distributed for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

The problem of creating affordable, adequate housing for a growing population is not a new one. This book, aimed at anyone with a professional or personal interest in improving housing provision everywhere, aims to inspire by offering in-depth studies of London's housing past and seeks to provide sustainable solutions for the future by linking to wider contemporary historical and social contexts. This book will influence today's housing debates through showcasing lessons from the past and highlights examples that inform the present. The buildings assessed in these case studies will be measured in terms of their longevity, sustained popularity, livability, average densities and productivity. The research and case studies from the book provide an invaluable resource for academics of architecture, urban design, sociology, history and geography as well as professionals, policy makers and journalists.