A novel interpretation of architecture, ugliness, and the social consequences of aesthetic judgment

When buildings are deemed ugly, what are the consequences? In Ugliness and Judgment, Timothy Hyde considers the role of aesthetic judgment―and its concern for ugliness―in architectural debates and their resulting social effects across three centuries of British architectural history. From eighteenth-century ideas about Stonehenge to Prince Charles’s opinions about the National Gallery, Hyde uncovers a new story of aesthetic judgment, where arguments about architectural ugliness do not pertain solely to buildings or assessments of style, but intrude into other spheres of civil society.

Hyde explores how accidental and willful conditions of ugliness―including the gothic revival Houses of Parliament, the brutalist concrete of the South Bank, and the historicist novelty of Number One Poultry―have been debated in parliamentary committees, courtrooms, and public inquiries. He recounts how architects such as Christopher Wren, John Soane, James Stirling, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe have been summoned by tribunals of aesthetic judgment. With his novel scrutiny of lawsuits for libel, changing paradigms of nuisance law, and conventions of monarchical privilege, he shows how aesthetic judgments have become entangled in wider assessments of art, science, religion, political economy, and the state.

Moving beyond superficialities of taste in order to see how architectural improprieties enable architecture to participate in social transformations, Ugliness and Judgment sheds new light on the role of aesthetic measurement in our world.

About the Author

Timothy Hyde is associate professor in the history and theory of architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of Constitutional Modernism: Architecture and Civil Society in Cuba, 1933–1959. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Twitter @hyde_timothy

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We have two floors of Used and Bargain books on the Arts and Social Sciences. The shop is at 82 Marchmont Street London WC1N 1AG and is open 11am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and 12.00 to 6pm on Sundays. Situated near the British Library at St.Pancras and London University our stock tends towards the more Academic. The Books we have listed on ABE are not kept at the shop, but can be brought to the shop by arrangement.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Association Member

Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.

Seller's business information

Leaflet Books Ltd
Menzies Chartered Accountants, Lynton House, 7-12 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9LT, United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Leaflet Books Ltd. T/A Judd Books.
82 Marchmont Street, London WC1N 1AG. juddbooks82@gmail.com
Tel: 02073875333.
Reg England No: 2871976.
VAT No: GB 906580519.
Representative: Alexander Donaldson.
Returns accepted within three weeks of receipt.

Shipping Terms

Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required. Books are well packed.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 15 business days	5 to 15 business days
First item	US$ 29.35	US$ 32.02

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.