DesignsonDemocracyexaminesapivotalperiodintheformationofthemodernprofessionofarchitectureinBritain.ItshowshowarchitectssoughttomeetthenewlyarticulateddemandsofamassdemocracyinthewakeoftheFirstWorldWar.ItdoessobyprovidingavividpictureofarchitecturalcultureininterwarLondon,theImperialmetropolis,drawingonhistoriesofdesign,practice,professionalism,andrepresentation.MostaccountsofthisperiodtendtodealexclusivelywiththeemergenceofModernism;thisstudytakesadifferentapproach,encompassingamuchbroaderperspectiveontheliberalprofessionalconsensusthatheldsway,includingarchitecture’smainstreamanditsso-calledavant-garde.Readerswillencounteranumberofunexpectednarratives,episodes,andprojects:fromtheBritishEmpireExhibitionatWembleytotherebuildingofWaterlooBridge;fromtheimpactoftheGreatSlumptothepassingofthefirstArchitectsRegistrationAct(1931);fromTrystanEdwards’sradicalhousingcampaignstotheLondoners’League’sunorthodoxpreservationism.Pullinginarangeofevidenceandsources-periodicals,exhibitions,photographs,andfilms,alongsidearchitecture-itevokesarchitecturalculturebylisteningcarefullytothetenorofitsdiscourse.Architecture’spublicrealmisthusanalysedthroughsometimessurprisingphrases:’manners’tounderstandidealsofpublicpropriety,’vigilance’toexplorepublicproprietorship,’slump’tocontextualisetheemergenceofpublicrelations,’machine-craft’tounderstandtheforgingofpublicinstitutions.ThevolumespanstheexcitablediscussionsaboutthereconstructionoftheprofessionforademocraticageafterWWI,toreconstructionandplanningfollowingWWII,providinganambitiousrevisionofhowwecanunderstandtwentiethcenturyarchitectureinBritain.
EXHIBITIONS DESIGNS MACHINE ARCHITECTURE practice CRAFT LEAGUE
