A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

A Country Life 'Architecture Book to Read in 2025'

Imposing and detailed image of an architectural era

British architecture between the wars is best known for the rise of modernism - the flat roofs, clean lines, and concrete of the Isokon apartments in Hampstead and the Penguin Pool at London Zoo - but the reality was much more diverse. As modernists matured and traditional architects began to wane, a rich variety of styles and tastes emerged in Britain and throughout the empire, a variety that reflected the restless spirit of the years leading up to World War II.

In his latest work, Gavin Stamp, one of Britain’s leading architectural critics, worked on a deeply researched account of British architecture in the interwar period, correcting the skewed view of earlier historians who failed to move beyond modernism. Beginning with a survey of the modern movement after the armistice, Interwar unravels the threads connecting lesser-known movements, such as the Egyptian revival, with the enduring popularity of Tudorbethan, to chronicle one of Britain’s most dynamic architectural periods. The result is more than a history of architecture - it is the portrait of a changing nation.

As a description of an era that continues to shape many of Britain’s towns and villages, Gavin Stamp's latest work is the definitive history of British architecture between the Great War and the Blitz.

Pages: 576, Year of Publication: 0306, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm