Architectural practice for speculative building in late seventeenth century London
Architectural practice is the study of how people produce architecture - the ways in which they build, the manner in which they organize themselves to do so and the methods by which buildings are both conceived and physically realised. This thesis is concerned with investigating what has been seen as the watershed period between medi~v.al and modem practices. It particularly examines whether the picture of late 17th century development given by John Summerson in 'Georgian London' (1945), still the standard work on the subject, is correct. In order to do this new evidence has been used from the Court of Chancery concerning building and property disputes. The first section 'Development Practice' investigates where and how development was carried out. It shows how the development system was made possible through the freehold/leasehold distinction in English law which allowed for separate interests to exist in the same piece of land. It proves that it was undertaken not primarily by aristocrats, as Summerson thought, but by a new breed of businessmen and entrepreneurs working largely on credit. The next section 'Design Practice' examines the design process for the realisation of these projects. It shows that although
McKellar, Elizabeth
History
Architectural practice for speculative building in late seventeenth century London. Architectural practice is the study of how people produce architecture - the ways in which they build, the manner in which they organize themselves to do so and the methods by which buildings are both conceived and physically realised. This thesis is concerned with investigating what has been seen as the watershed period between medi~v.al and modem practices. It particularly examines whether the picture of late 17th century development given by John Summerson in 'Georgian London' (1945), still the standard work on the subject, is correct. In order to do this new evidence has been used from the Court of Chancery concerning building and property disputes. The first section 'Development Practice' investigates where and how development was carried out. It shows how the development system was made possible through the freehold/leasehold distinction in English law which allowed for separate interests to exist in the same piece of land. It proves that it was undertaken not primarily by aristocrats, as Summerson thought, but by a new breed of businessmen and entrepreneurs working largely on credit. The next section 'Design Practice' examines the design process for the realisation of these projects. It shows that although
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