Architectural Guide: London

A city famous for its rapid growth and high cost of living, London is not a place one immediately associates with pioneering housing projects. Yet the British capital has a long history of social housing and plenty of innovative residential buildings: from Henry Darbishire’s estates for the Peabody housing association to sustainable communities such as BedZED and contemporary council homes like the RIBA award-winning Dujardin Mews.

Divided by period rather than architectural style, this guide focuses on the developments in this field, beginning at the close of the nineteenth century and finishing at the present day. Twentieth-century buildings thus make up the bulk of the guide: garden suburbs, quintessentially English mock Tudor estates, and brutalist icons such as the Barbican and Robin Hood Gardens are all feature in these pages. As do lesser-known works, situated both in the heart of the metropolis and its outer suburbs.

Details of the location and nearest train station accompany the building descriptions for easy navigation, and maps give an overview for planning excursions. In addition, a comprehensive reading list provides inspiration for further investigation. Architectural Guide: London offers an alternative way to view the city’s remarkable buildings – many of which are hidden in plain sight.