London's Clerkenwell is a model of modern European urban renaissance. New loft
conversions, stylish apartments and creative studios are to be found in renovated and restored historic buildings, while a vibrant night life and leisure economy has attracted a growing number of young, professional new residents.
Yet, only 30 years ago, Clerkenwell was an industrial area in decline. What factors lie behind the changes? And what have been their effects?
Alan Ainsworth"s new book, Clerkenwell: Change and Renewal, addresses these questions for the first time. A concise survey of Clerkenwell's history brings to light forces which have played a decisive part in the development of the area right up to the present day. Over nearly nine hundred years, Clerkenwell is shown to have been an area in change, and the recent renaissance is the latest example of the way in which the area has adapted to change.
A distinctive feature of the book is the way it combines this analysis with stunning original photographs of Clerkenwell today. The people, the streets and the architecture are creatively captured and round out the portrait of an area in transition.
This book will appeal to students of history and urban development, planners and conservationists as well as the general reader interested in London's rich diversity, history and contemporary renaissance.
