1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910254888503321

Autore

Barras Richard

Titolo

A Wealth of Buildings: Marking the Rhythm of English History : Volume II: 1688–Present / / by Richard Barras

Pubbl/distr/stampa

London : , : Palgrave Macmillan UK : , : Imprint : Palgrave Macmillan, , 2016

ISBN

1-349-94980-9

Edizione

[1st ed. 2016.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (XXVI, 431 p. 49 illus., 18 illus. in color.)

Disciplina

720.942

Soggetti

Schools of economics

Urban economics

Architecture

Heterodox Economics

Urban Economics

Architectural History and Theory

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

6. Landed Supremacy -- 7. Industrial Revolution -- 8. Financial Hegemony -- 9. Hegemonic Building.

Sommario/riassunto

This two-volume book explores how the great buildings of England bear witness to a thousand years of the nation’s history. In every age, investment in iconic buildings reaches a climax when the prevailing mode of production is operating most effectively, surplus wealth is most plentiful, and the dominant class rules supreme. During such periods of stability and prosperity, the demand for new buildings is strong, structural and stylistic innovations abound, and there is fierce competition to build for lasting fame. Each such climax produces a unique vintage of buildings that are an expression of cultural hegemony. They are monuments to the wealth and power of those who ruled their world. This second volume presents three case studies of iconic building investment from the eighteenth century to the present day. During the eighteenth century the wealth of the great landed estates funded the golden age of country house building by aristocracy and gentry. During the nineteenth century the Industrial Revolution



unleashed an unprecedented wave of infrastructure investment and civic building by the ascendant capitalist class. Since the late twentieth century the power of global financial capital has been symbolized by the relentless rise of city centre office towers. A final chapter argues that these different forms of hegemonic building are a physical manifestation of the underlying rhythm of English history.