A series of eight bite–sized lectures on architectural history

Enjoy a glass of wine, sit down and listen to Dr Thom Gorst talk us though the key periods in architectural history. Thom is an experienced and witty presenter so prepare to be entertained! Thom is a qualified architect, and has lectured on architectural history in a number of universities, including at the University of Bath from 1989 to 2002. His doctorate, from the Glasgow School of Art, examined the aesthetics of industrial ruins. Thom also lectures regularly on architecture and art on cruise ships, including the Cunard Line, Voyages of Discovery, Viking Line and Fred.Olsen.

Each lecture will last between 45 minutes and an hour, and there will be time afterwards to meet Thom and ask questions.

Starting with the architecture of Greece and Rome, we will look at the architectural thinking that lay behind the building of Bath, and go on to understand some of the principles that explain architecture today.

Talk 1 (Weds 3 Sep): The Classical Language of Architecture

The architecture of Greece and Rome, and the way it laid the principles of design for architecture ever since.

Talk 2 (Weds 3 Oct): Gothic and the Middle Ages

The towering achievements of the cathedral masons of the 12th and 13th centuries were technical as well as artistic masterpieces. This period inspired many architects in the 19th century as well.

Talk 3 (Weds 5 Nov): The Renaissance

The 16th century rebirth (‘renaissance’) of interest in Classical Architecture was brought about by profound changes in religious and social values, and includes the discovery of perspective in painting.

Talk 4 (Weds 4 Feb): 'Palladian' Architecture

With an increasing interest in Italian art and architecture in Britain, the work of the 16th century architect Andrea Palladio became very influential, and directly informed the building of Bath in the 18th century.

Talk 5 (Weds 8 April): 'The Battle of the Styles'

A polarisation of taste from the late 18th century led to different architects advocating either classicism or the gothic, creating what was once described as a ‘fancy dress ball of architecture’. Here we find the romantic landscapes of Prior Park or Stourhead.

Talk 6 (Weds 3 June): The Industrial Revolution

The design of buildings was changed radically by the development of new construction techniques. As the world became more industrialised, the reaction against industrialisation grew, leading to the Arts and Crafts movment.

Talk 7 (Weds 12 August): The Birth of Modernism

The Modern Movement in Architecture emerged in the early 20th century, as a confident attempt to redefine how we design buildings, and how we live with them. It was underpinned by a good deal of philosophy.

Talk 8 (Weds 7 October): Architecture Today

Contemporary architecture has moved on further, and we struggle to contextualise it with our understanding of the past. This will be the exciting challenge of the last lecture in this series.

We look forward to seeing you!

Getting to the park:

Walking: You can walk to Sydney Gardens from the City Centre in 10 - 15 minutes along Great Pulteney Street.

Cycling: About 5 minutes from the City Centre along Great Pulteney Street. There are cycle racks in the park or you can use the ones in the Holburne Museum and walk through to the park.

Bus: Routes: 11, 94, D1. The 734 also runs near the park. Stops: Holburne Museum, Forester Road, Darlington Road.

Parking: Free parking is available around the edge of the park on Sydney Road (some bays are restricted to 2 hours, some are 4 hours between 8am to 6pm). They are often full, so leave plenty of time to find somewhere to park. There is also some free parking on the Warminster Road. The Holburne has a small car park beside it and you need cash for a parking ticket.