Coventry : the making of a modern city, 1939-1973 /
The Coventry Blitz of 14 November 1940 was a key event of the Second World War and in the growth of public consciousness of the destructive power of warfare. The medieval city, already undergoing rapid change, was largely destroyed on that night. The destruction was seen as an opportunity by some in...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Corporate Author: | |
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Swindon, UK :
Historic England,
[2016]
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| Series: | Informed conservation.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Contributor biographical information Publisher description Table of contents only |
| Summary: | The Coventry Blitz of 14 November 1940 was a key event of the Second World War and in the growth of public consciousness of the destructive power of warfare. The medieval city, already undergoing rapid change, was largely destroyed on that night. The destruction was seen as an opportunity by some including the then City Architect, Donald Gibson. The result was the first of the master plans for postwar redevelopment of Britain's bombed city centers. The redevelopment of Coventry city centre to plans by Gibson and his successors provided an intensely urban and civilized center, embodying new planning principles. Postwar Coventry was hugely influential and Gibson's ideas helped to shape the rebuilding of other city centers, the postwar new towns and developments in Europe. Despite incremental change in the subsequent decades the planning and architecture of Gibson's city center are still clearly legible. The modern demands of a growing city on its center are now very different from those of the post-war years. Coventry needs to grow and plan for its future and change will inevitably affect the city center. This book aims to inform the public and decision makers of the significance of Coventry, and especially its center, so that change can be managed in ways that will continue the life, use and enjoyment of the best of Coventry's remarkable postwar heritage. |
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| Physical Description: | vii, 156 pages : chiefly color illustrations, color maps ; 21 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |
| ISBN: | 9781848022454 (pbk.) 184802245X (pbk.) |