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All of London's a stage: the 1943 County of London Plan Exhibition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2015

MARCO AMATI  and
ROBERT FREESTONE
MARCO AMATI
Affiliation:
School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
ROBERT FREESTONE
Affiliation:
Built Environment, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Abstract:

The post-war reconstruction era was marked by numerous planning exhibitions which provide a window on the contemporary nature of communication and consultation in planning practice. The 1943 Exhibition of the County of London Plan prepared by J.H. Forshaw and Patrick Abercrombie was a major event with the king and queen making a high-profile visit. This article describes the making of the exhibition, considers its content, design and historical significance and reflects on its importance as a high water mark in the culture of twentieth-century town planning promotion generally and exhibition culture specifically. Archival research reveals how the London County Council (LCC) negotiated for resources from the central government and the local boroughs in hosting and organizing the event and how crucial these negotiations were in its eventual staging, marketing and impact.

Type
Research Article
Information
Urban History , Volume 43 , Issue 4 , November 2016 , pp. 539 - 556
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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