Cities of the North
Cities of the North, Jones the Planner, Adrian Jones and Chris Matthews, Five Leaves Publications, 2016, 199 pages, colour illustrations, softback.
Jones the Planner’s previous critique of our changing townscape, Towns in Britain, was short on northern cities, and it is good to have this edition, devoted solely to the north. The authors follow in the footsteps of Ian Nairn, and demonstrate a similar passion and acerbic wit when describing the great achievements of the past, and some of the shortcomings of our own times. They feature nine cities, from Liverpool to Newcastle, supplemented by often quirky images, and conclude with some well-considered reflections which should be required reading for government ministers and city mayors.
This article originally appeared in IHBC's Context 162 (Page 57), published by The Institute of Historic Building Conservation in November 2019.
--Institute of Historic Building Conservation
Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
IHBC NewsBlog
Latest IHBC Issue of Context features Roofing
Articles range from slate to pitched roofs, and carbon impact to solar generation to roofscapes.
Three reasons not to demolish Edinburgh’s Argyle House
Should 'Edinburgh's ugliest building' be saved?
IHBC’s 2025 Parliamentary Briefing...from Crafts in Crisis to Rubbish Retrofit
IHBC launches research-led ‘5 Commitments to Help Heritage Skills in Conservation’
How RDSAP 10.2 impacts EPC assessments in traditional buildings
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) tell us how energy efficient our buildings are, but the way these certificates are generated has changed.
700-year-old church tower suspended 45ft
The London church is part of a 'never seen before feat of engineering'.
The historic Old War Office (OWO) has undergone a remarkable transformation
The Grade II* listed neo-Baroque landmark in central London is an example of adaptive reuse in architecture, where heritage meets modern sophistication.
West Midlands Heritage Careers Fair 2025
Join the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust on 13 October 2025, from 10.00am.
Former carpark and shopping centre to be transformed into new homes
Transformation to be a UK first.
Canada is losing its churches…
Can communities afford to let that happen?
131 derelict buildings recorded in Dublin city
It has increased 80% in the past four years.