
High-Tech Britain
Buildings of the Space Age
Geraint Franklin(Author)
Batsford (Publisher)
Published on 5. March 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-83733-037-9 (ISBN)
Description
A showcase of Britain's most astonishing examples of High-Tech buildings from the late twentieth century and beyond.
Often associated with factories, offices and transport infrastructure, High-Tech is an elusive architectural style defined by expressed structure and services, 'clip-on' prefabrication, flexible interiors and the technological aesthetic of outriggers, tension rods and glossy cladding. This beautifully photographed book is an authoritative survey of the most groundbreaking British examples of the style from leading architectural historian Geraint Franklin, following on from his acclaimed book Post-Modern Buildings in Britain.
Among the buildings featured are the awe-inspiring Lloyd's Building in London, the glorious Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia, the curvy press box at Lords Cricket Ground and the world-famous Eden Project in Cornwall, alongside lesser-known buildings which include private homes, facilities for civic, educational and community use as well as buildings for culture, sport and entertainment.
Also covered are the origins and pioneers of High-Tech architecture from its radical origins in 1960s London and the epoch-defining work of the 'big four': Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Michael and Patty Hopkins and Nicolas Grimshaw, as well as the younger generation of designers such as Ian Ritchie, Richard Horden, Jan Kaplicky and Eva Jiricna who took the language in new directions. Now, more than 50 years on, the values and aesthetics of High-Tech architecture have been absorbed into the mainstream of global architecture, from international airport terminals to the 'serviced sheds' of industrial estates and retail parks, demonstrating the versality the style and the resourcefulness of its practitioners.
Often associated with factories, offices and transport infrastructure, High-Tech is an elusive architectural style defined by expressed structure and services, 'clip-on' prefabrication, flexible interiors and the technological aesthetic of outriggers, tension rods and glossy cladding. This beautifully photographed book is an authoritative survey of the most groundbreaking British examples of the style from leading architectural historian Geraint Franklin, following on from his acclaimed book Post-Modern Buildings in Britain.
Among the buildings featured are the awe-inspiring Lloyd's Building in London, the glorious Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia, the curvy press box at Lords Cricket Ground and the world-famous Eden Project in Cornwall, alongside lesser-known buildings which include private homes, facilities for civic, educational and community use as well as buildings for culture, sport and entertainment.
Also covered are the origins and pioneers of High-Tech architecture from its radical origins in 1960s London and the epoch-defining work of the 'big four': Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Michael and Patty Hopkins and Nicolas Grimshaw, as well as the younger generation of designers such as Ian Ritchie, Richard Horden, Jan Kaplicky and Eva Jiricna who took the language in new directions. Now, more than 50 years on, the values and aesthetics of High-Tech architecture have been absorbed into the mainstream of global architecture, from international airport terminals to the 'serviced sheds' of industrial estates and retail parks, demonstrating the versality the style and the resourcefulness of its practitioners.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Illustrations
200 colour photographs
Dimensions
Height: 251 mm
Width: 195 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
1080 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83733-037-9 (9781837330379)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Geraint Franklin is an architectural historian from Historic England.
Content
Residential
Public buildings
Sport
Culture and entertainment
Offices
Retail
Industry
Transport
Notes
Glossary
Further reading
Index
Acknowledgements
Picture credits
Public buildings
Sport
Culture and entertainment
Offices
Retail
Industry
Transport
Notes
Glossary
Further reading
Index
Acknowledgements
Picture credits