HIST2249
Building London: the history of a city, 1666 – 2012
London is one of the most well-known cities in the world. It has a fascinating history, growing from a relatively small development along the river Thames into the sprawling metropolis we know today. In this module we will explore the history of the city through an examination of some of its most iconic buildings. We will start in 1666, after the Great Fire of London, and journey through the developing city to the present day, ending with the opening of the Olympic Park in 2012. Each week we will focus on a particular building or geographic site, considering its physical location within the capital, the context of its design and construction – why it was built, how it was built, who and/or what it was built for – and then use the building to explore culture and society of the time of its development. We will use maps of London to enable us to situate the buildings, both geographically and historically; examine contemporary reactions to the buildings to gauge the meanings invested in them by specific individuals and groups; and consider visual materials, including prints, paintings, plans and photographs, as a means of interrogating the changing cityscape and the attitudes of contemporaries towards it.
