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BREXIT AND BRITISH ARCHITECTURE Words Amy Young
There is an underlying relationship between politics and the practice of architecture. Politics influences culture, economics, trade, ideals, business and current affairs, and each of these in turn has an effect on proposed design solutions. One of the most dramatic political events in Europe in the last decade is Brexit, the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The analysis of what Brexit means for British Architecture is still in its infancy but is a conversation necessary in order to forecast the changes in the industry over the next decade.
Brexit began with a referendum in 2016, led by the conservative party leader David Cameron. Shocking everyone, both in the UK and Europe, over 50% of voters voted to leave the EU. This triggered Article 50 and the UK began the process of Brexit. Two prime ministers, a general election, multiple rejected deals, and a divided society four years later, on the 31st of January 2020 the UK officially left the EU. The effect of Brexit is and has already been felt across Europe, in terms of trade, immigration and business.
Stalinist towers and brutalism; the differing politics gives way to two very different cities.
In a post-Brexit society, there is expected to be both physical and non-physical implications for architecture and design.
One argument is that architecture in the UK could head subconsciously in a more nostalgic direction, playing on the British vernacular and comforting styles that are generally loved by the UK population, like Victorian, Georgian and Brutalism. This could result in an interesting progression for British architecture, but if approached with the wrong attitude it could easily become stagnant and dull.
Physically, architecture has always had a close relationship to politics. If we consider the political backgrounds of the renaissance, classicism, neoclassicism, modernism and post-modernism, it is clear that each is driven by varying political and social climates. An example is the comparison between the liberal, social democratic Barcelona and post-communist Bucharest. Barcelona boasts the work of Gaudi or the progressive modernism of Mies van der Rohe, whereas Bucharest is filled with
Brexit is a symbol of separation, nationalism, fear, isolation, exclusivity and the rise of the right that has been sweeping across the western world. It calls for speculation of what post-Brexit architecture will look like given the current climate. Will British Architecture become more 'British'? Will Britain develop a more unique style or continue to have parallels to European architecture?
The biggest worry about the UK having more British centric architecture and losing the interest of talented EU architects, is that Britain could limit innovation and the experimental element of architecture.
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