How The Great Fire Of London Changed Planning

Adrian Tinniswood weaves a fascinating tale about the Great Fire of London's impact on urban planning in the city.

1 minute read

September 27, 2003, 1:00 PM PDT

"It is in discussing the Fire's consequences for London's urban planning that Tinniswood (whose background is in architectural history) comes into its own. The Fire created a tabula rasa for urban design that provided an unparalleled opportunity for architects and town planners, and the book offers a fascinating survey of the various Londons that might have been. These range from the Richard Newcourt's grid-pattern scheme for 55 uniform blocks, a sort of Manhattan-on-Thames; to John Evelyn's for a city with "open piazzas"; and Christopher Wren's magnificent scheme for a series a broad triumphal avenues and axial vistas connecting the City's major public buildings (in the manner of 17th-century Rome) - the solution approved by both Charles II and his Privy Council."

Thanks to Chris Steins

FULL STORY: Plucked from the flames

Sunday, September 14, 2003 in The Daily Telegraph

History / Preservation United States

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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