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Steven Parissien

Building Britannia: A History of Britain in 25 Buildings, by Steven Parissien

British history is traced through 25 iconic buildings – from Maiden Castle to 30 St Mary Axe – in this blend of architectural perusal and cultural insight.

Paul Strathern

Dr. Steven Parissien’s latest retelling of history through architecture, Building Britannia: A History of Britain in Twenty-Five Buildings, begins with Maiden Castle in Dorset, which dates from around 600 BC. In the words of John Cooper Powys, this resembles ‘the...

Building Britannia: A Conversation with Steven Parissien

The historian explains his use of architecture and landmarks in telling the story of Britain’s social and political history to author Paul Strathern.

Steven Parissien

Welcome, Steven, to Aspects of History. What was it that first led you into the study of architecture and cultural history? Which came first? I was always fascinated by British history and British architecture from my earliest years, though I’m not sure why: no-one in...

What Makes an Iconic Structure?

Britain’s truly iconic buildings are those whose architecture, symbolism and evolving histories have allowed them to transcend aesthetics and become expressions of national identity.

Steven Parissien

‘Iconic’ is a rather overused and clichéd word these days. It’s probably quite helpful, then, to unpack exactly what we mean when we use this term for the architecture of the past or present – or rather, what we ought to mean. Many new buildings in Britain’s towns and...