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Special Collections & Archives: Architecture Booksaccredited archive service logo

SC&A includes manuscripts and archives, medieval to modern; early and finely printed books, and science fiction collections.

 

15th-20th century books, including historic illustrated surveys from the library of the School of Architecture and Applied Arts.

Engraving of the School of Architecture in 1910Established in 1895, the School was an important centre of the Arts and Crafts movement with Robert Anning Bell (1863-1933) and Augustus John (1878-1961) on its staff. It later promoted classicist and modernist ideas under Charles Reilly (1874-1948), who formed strong alliances with local industrialists such as W.H. Lever of Port Sunlight. Examples of the School's work can be seen in its Portfolio of Measured Drawings and in the Liverpool Architectural Sketchbook.

Reilly also attracted valuable gifts to the School's library, for example Piranesi's Diverse maniere (1769), and the collections include many of the landmark texts of architectural history.

Classical architecture

Vitruvius (Marcus Vitruvius Pollio), a contemporary of Julius Caesar and Augustus, probably wrote his handbook of classical architecture, De Architectura before 27 BC, but its influence stems from the Renaissance as printed copies became available. Liverpool holds the first illustrated edition (Venice, 1511), later 16th-century editions, and translations into French and English.

Renaissance architecture

Leon Battista Alberti (1404-72) published the first original Renaissance treatise on architecture: De Re Aedificatoria (Florence, 1485), including a scheme for building a new town - the first example of town planning in print. Liverpool holds the first edition, and later editions including translations into English, French and Italian.

Palladianism

Andrea Palladio (1508-80) published his I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura in 1570, directly influenced by Vitruvius and Alberti. Palladianism was popularised in England by aristocratic travellers returning from the Grand Tour, and especially by Inigo Jones (1573-1632), whose notes on his copy of Palladio were included in English translations. Liverpool holds several 18th-century editions in English and Italian, and also Colin Campbell's Vitruvius Britannicus; or the British Architect (1715-71).

The Gothic Revival

Augustus Charles Pugin (1762-1832) and his son Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-52) led a rediscovery of medieval design which dominated the 19th century. Liverpool holds the 3rd edition of A.C. Pugin's Specimens of Gothic Architecture (1825-26), and the topographical works of John Britton, which illustrated Britain's medieval architectural heritage.

Examples of 20th century Domestic Architecture

The collections include A monograph of the work of McKim, Mead and White, 1879-1915 (1915), illustrating the work of the most important American architectural firm of the early 20th century and also 50 best homes from the pages of Good Housekeeping: architects' sketch plans with 1/8" scale elevations, showing areas and building details, including photographs and complete descriptions (New York, 1950).

Archives

The School of Architecture and Applied Arts was inaugurated in May 1895. The University Archive includes records relating to the history of the School of Architecture and administrative records relating to staff and students.

The archive also includes plans, photographs and reports relating to buildings across the University of Liverpool campus. Including, for instance, material relating to the Walker Engineering and Harrison-Hughes Laboratories, the Victoria Building, and the Sydney Jones Library.

Also, within the University Archive are the papers of graduates from the Liverpool School of Architecture. Including the papers of Michael Bottomley, William Crabtree, Norah Dunphy and  William Holford.

 

More information

The Special Collections and Archives blog Manuscripts and More features a number of posts relating to Architecture:

Finding and using

  • Special Collections books with subject heading Architecture (Library catalogue records)
  • The University Archive finding aid can be searched for information on University staff, students, and buildings
  • Liverpool buildings: LUL manuscripts of architectural interest include: LUL MS 106, LUL MS 146, and MS.26.4 (1)(2) (St. George's Hall)