Black and white image of a vintage car and caravan. Photo credit, Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading pulled over in a lay-by with trees behind. A woman stands by the door and a dog looks out from inside the caravan.

The History of Architecture Research Cluster (HARC)

The History of Architecture Research Cluster pursues research on the past of the built environment, with the aim of understanding the present, and helping to shape a better future. 

Members conduct research on an impressive diversity of places, times and themes, across the globe and throughout history. By investigating the architectural past, both recent and remote, cluster members contribute to informed discussion of crucial issues facing architecture today, including the great twin challenges social issues and climate emergency, and the radical upheavals that are required in architectural education and practice to address both.

We welcome applications for PhD research on any of our wide variety of research areas.

Among the topics that the group embraces are:

  • The architecture of colonial and post-colonial societies
  • Decolonising architectural history
  • The architectural and urban history of India, Arabia and the Maghreb
  • Gender and architecture / landscape architecture
  • The image of architecture
  • Twentieth century architecture in Britain and worldwide
  • The history of architectural education
  • Social housing histories
  • Heritage and place making
  • Environments for (mental) health
  • The history of ‘comfort conditions’
  • The energy history of architecture
  • Landscape and urban history
  • Medieval English masonic practices
  • Modern conflict heritage

The activities of cluster members often overlap with other research clusters and groups within the school and far beyond, forming an impressively global network.

Members of the History of Architecture Research Cluster include:

Ataa Alsalloum
Soumyen Bandyopadhyay
Alexandrina Buchanan
Barnabas Calder
Alistair Cartwright
Luca Csepely-Knorr
Ronnie Ford
Jocelyn Jocelyn Froimovich
Marco Iuliano
Iain Jackson
Juliana Yat Shun Kei
Richard Koeck
Ranald Lawrence
Christina Malathouni
Johanna Muszbek
Simon Pepper
Giamila Quattrone
Nick Ray
Torsten Schmiedeknecht
Mark Swenarton
Nwola Uduku
Nick Webb
Patrick Zamarian

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