Nicholas Bullock, a Fellow of King’s College, was Professor of the History of Architecture and Urbanism of the 20th Century in the Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, and lectured at the Architectural Association in London for over 40 years. Originally admitted for modern languages, he read architecture at Cambridge and completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Sir Leslie Martin. He was a founder member of the Martin Centre for Architecture and Urban Studies, established in 1967. He has published widely on the architecture, housing and planning issues of the 20th century in Britain, Germany and France.
This is a fascinating story, very well told. It dives into great detail on some aspects, like the determined efforts to bring in modern construction methods, or the evolving shape of architects’ education, but not in a way that breaks up the narrative, and the treatment of housing and planning choices in Paris and its region is crystal-clear. It’s clearly based on a huge amount of reading and research…knocked into a compelling story of a state and a profession grappling with vital social issues, in ways that sometimes recall British struggles, and sometimes look culturally very different….this is a masterful review of a fascinating period in the development history of our endlessly-interesting neighbour, full of insights into the professions and culture that shaped an era. Martin Crookston, Built Environment Vol 49 No 2