Building London

Product Description

The City of London is still confined to a square-mile enclave, as it was when its residents crossed the river to see Shakespeare`s newest plays in Southwark. At that time, up the river there was another city
- Westminster, seat of the Royal Court, the Law Courts & Parliament
- but within 200 years the two settlements had fused, making London the largest city on earth, the first to reach a population of one million. In the nineteenth century, London`s population grew to six million & the building boom began. Poorer people & dirty industries congregated in the east; the better-off lived & worked in the west. The Victorians built breathtaking edifices, the crown jewel of which was the new Houses of Parliament. After the destruction of the Second World War, the post-war era saw the arrival of the modern movement & the wholesale use of poured concrete, glass & steel. Now, in the twenty-first century, London`s architecture is as vibrant as ever
- the last ten years have seen the building of many of London`s greatest landmarks, including the Swiss Re headquarters & the London Eye.” Building London” is a visual record of that remarkable story, detailing how the city was built & introducing the great architects & engineers. It contains rare images from the earliest days of photography, as well as evocative photographs from the last 100 years, ensuring all of London`s iconic buildings are featured.