Influential Images That Molded the Cityscape

Images depicting the harsh urban landscapes of late 1960s Britain are currently on display at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London. These compelling pictures, captured by photographers working for the Architectural Review, offer a glimpse into a tumultuous period in British architecture and urban planning. The photographs, taken by photographers Ian Berry, Patrick Ward, and Tony Ray-Jones, form part of a series called Manplan. This series aimed to analyze the state of architecture and urban planning in Britain at that time. It consisted of eight special issues, published from September 1969 to September 1970, with each issue focusing on a different area of human activity believed to be influenced by design and planning choices. To bring the themes of each issue to life, guest editors such as Lord Norman Foster and Virginia Makins were invited to contribute, along with commissioned photojournalists and street photographers. Their collective work provides a powerful visual account of the challenges, disparities, disillusionment, and questioning prevalent during that era. According to Valeria Carullo, the exhibition's lead curator and RIBA's photographs curator, the raw power of these photographs brings us back to a time not dissimilar to our present. The exhibition serves as a timely reminder of the significance of citizen participation in decisions that impact their communities, as well as the role architects can play in creating a fairer society. The exhibition, located at RIBA Architecture Gallery on Portland Place in London, will be open until February 24, 2024. It showcases a selection of photographs, courtesy of the Architectural Press Archive/RIBA Collections. [Note: The article text has been slightly modified for a more coherent and concise presentation.]