The distinguished expert and passionate advocate of modern British architecture, Elain Harwood, offers the finest overview of British architecture from 1938 to 1963: mid-century buildings.
Increasingly popular and accompanied by a growing understanding of their importance as the backdrop to our lives, the buildings featured range from the Royal Festival Hall and Newcastle City Hall to Deal Pier and the Douglas ferry terminal, from prefabricated houses and ice cream parlours to Coventry Cathedral and the Golden Lane Estate. The author writes in clear, non-technical language about the design and architecture, as well as the influence these buildings have had on the life of our towns and cities.
The author has arranged this wide variety of buildings into the following categories: Houses and Flats; Churches and Public Buildings; Offices; Shops; Showrooms and Cafés; Hotels and Pubs; Cinemas, Theatres and Concert Halls; Industrial Buildings and Transport. There is an insightful introduction that places these buildings within the broader context of twentieth-century architecture, both nationally and internationally. All are superbly photographed, making this an essential book for anyone interested in our built heritage.
Post-war British architects often saw architecture as a powerful means of improving the quality of our lives in the aftermath of war. This is the fascinating story of what they built to meet that challenge.
Cover illustration by Paul Catherall