A World of Architectural History conference

A World of Architectural History is the 4th annual conference of the Architectural Research in Europe Network Association (ARENA).

The conference aims to critique and celebrate the latest global advances within architectural history over the last few decades, by focusing upon the word 'global' in two senses: 

• Geographically - referring to the increasing inclusion of all parts of the world in more complex and multiple discourses of architectural history
• Intellectually - the ongoing expansion of architectural history into other academic subjects, plus the reception of ideas/themes from those subjects

Recognition will be given to a more inclusive approach to architectural history that seeks to incorporate the histories of all countries/regions, and to the significant contributions now being made through interdisciplinary links with other subjects. As such, the conference will represent the forefront of the field internationally and discuss where architectural history ought to head in the future.

Conference presenters will include those from a wide range of subject areas within The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment and leading figures in architectural history across the world. Both invited speakers and those selected via an open call will contribute their papers.

This event is now sold out.

Conference themes

Eight thematic areas will be presented over the two days of the conference, with these themes also framing the call for papers:

• Culture and Architectural History
• Architectural History and Design Research
• The Expanded Field
• Colonialism, Post-Colonialism and Beyond
• History, Environment and Technology
• Architectural History as Pedagogy
• Global Domesticity
• Informalities, Identities and Subjectivities

Conference organisers

The primary conference organiser is Murray Fraser, in close association with Camillo Boano, Adrian Forty, Jonathan Hill, Barbara Penner, Rokia Raslan, Jane Rendell, Tania Sengupta and other colleagues from The Bartlett Faculty, with advice and help also from the International Academic Committee. Selected papers will be published either as essays in the ARENA Journal of Architectural Research (AJAR) or in a subsequent edited book.

The conference programme is available to download as a PDF in the side bar, but please note that this is subject to change.

This conference will coincide with the publication of Sir Banister Fletcher's Global History of Architecture (Bloomsbury Press).

Image credits:

1. Mali mosque in Djenne, by Ferdinand Reus from Arnhem, Holland (Djenné), via Wikimedia Commons
2. Murasaki Genji Hiroshige, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Rocinha favela main road 2014, by Chensiyuan, from via Wikimedia Commons
4. Hendrik van Schuylenburgh: The Trading Post of the Dutch East India Company in Hooghly, Bengal, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Codex Sangallensis 1092 recto, via Wikimedia Commons
6. Tianjin Construction Site, by Jakob Montrasio, via Wikimedia Commons
7. Persepolis. By Mostafameraji, via Wikimedia Commons
8. 21^st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, by 金沢市, via Wikimedia Commons

Concessions