CHRISTINE WALL: Talking about building/s: oral history and modern architecture

The place of oral history within the historiography of modern architecture is not yet fully accepted, understood or theorised. Faced with a wealth of tangible evidence found in photographs, plans, documents and models, architectural history rarely includes the voices of those involved in the construction of a building, and remains wary of diverse, unauthorised and unofficial histories. In this talk I explore instances where the use of oral history is integral to widening the perspective of traditional architectural history. Here, oral testimony reveals a wide cast of co-producers involved in the making of modern architecture giving voice to marginalised groups with the potential to undermine overarching architectural narratives.

Christine Wall is Reader in Architectural and Construction History, Co-editor of The Construction History Journal, and an editor of The Oral History Journal.

The Architecture Research Forum is a seminar series hosted by the Architecture + Cities Research Group where staff present work-in-progress for discussion.

Where: Erskine Room (M523), Marylebone Campus

When: Thursday, 1 February 2018, 13.00–14.00

ALL WELCOME!