Category Archives: Architecture

UCL Press is pleased to note the recent coverage of University College London: The Bloomsbury Campus in the Daily Telegraph. Writing in the paper, Christopher Howse described the volume as ‘a magnificent new architectural history of UCL’s Bloomsbury campus’, recognising the significance of this landmark publication for the university’s bicentenary.

Published as part of a trio of books marking UCL’s two hundredth year, the volume offers the most comprehensive study to date of the buildings, landscapes and planning decisions that have shaped UCL’s central London home. It is the nineteenth volume in the long running Survey of London series and the first to be published by UCL Press, where it is available in full as open access.

The authors trace the evolution of the Bloomsbury estate from UCL’s radical beginnings in 1826 to its position today as a global university committed to openness, innovation and public purpose. Through extensive archival research and newly commissioned photography, the book brings to light the architectural character of the campus and the ideas that have guided its development over two centuries.

Links

• Read the article (££).
• Read and download the open access book

UCL Press is delighted to announce the publication of the first Survey of London volume to be released in open access: University College London: The Bloomsbury Campus.

Formerly published by Yale University Press, the Survey of London is a renowned series of architectural and topographical studies documenting the evolving built environment of London’s neighbourhoods. Known for its meticulous research and richly illustrated volumes, the series is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the history and architecture of the capital.

The new volume offers an in‑depth account of UCL’s Bloomsbury campus, tracing its architectural development, historical importance, and the role its buildings have played in shaping the university’s identity. It is the first volume in the series to be published by UCL Press, and the first to be made freely available as an open access PDF.

Its publication marks the start of UCL’s 200‑year celebrations, reflecting the university’s longstanding commitment to sharing knowledge widely and supporting global access to scholarship. Making the Survey of London openly accessible underscores UCL’s dedication to public engagement and the dissemination of high-quality research.

Commissioning editor Dr Chris Penfold said: ‘We are very pleased to welcome the Survey of London series to UCL Press. The series has a long and distinguished history. The combination of new research, detailed building-by-building analysis and extensive illustrative material makes the series an indispensable tool for architectural historians. We look forward to working with the team on forthcoming volumes.’

Colin Thom, Director of the Survey of London, said: ‘The move to UCL Press opens up an exciting new chapter in the Survey of London’s long and distinguished history. The UCL Press open-access model – the first established by a UK university press – is very much in keeping with the Survey’s founding ethos and public-service traditions, and promises a full range of publishing formats that will achieve far wider outreach and impact for us, while maintaining the continuity and posterity of the series. We are also delighted that the first benefit of this new relationship should be a monograph volume shedding new light on 200 years of UCL’s Bloomsbury campus’.