Architectural and urban history and theory
From its origins, architecture has always blended technology with art. It's combined subjective and objective knowledge, and balanced cultural implications with the need for practicality. There's a near endless reservoir of knowledge and creativity formed by past experiences, history and theory, and abstract and transferable knowledge, that goes far beyond the boundaries of specific buildings.
Our research in Architectural and Urban History and Theory works to understand this complex nature, by bridging the gap between the technical and humanistic aspects of architectural and urban history and theory. Our work helps us to understand the history and theory behind how we conceptualise and produce architecture and urban spaces on different scales.
Architecture was created as a profession at the moment it became an intellectual activity, focused on thinking and designing constructions to be built by other professions. Since the renaissance, theory and history have been crucial for developing architecture — it cannot be explained or understood without them.
This includes all of the many discourses and accounts from academicism and eclecticism to architectural constructivism, expressionism, modernism, postmodernism, deconstruction and parametricism. The discipline has also been enriched with ideas coming from other fields of knowledge, such as philosophy, linguistics, sociology, anthropology or cultural studies.
Our research covers the following topics
- Architectural history
- Architectural theory
- Urban history
- Urban theory
- Architecture and politics
- Architecture and cultural studies
- 1960s and 1970s neo avant-gardes
We use qualitative research methods, such as archival research, interpretive-historical techniques, textual criticism, synoptic method, logical argumentation, case studies and research by design.
Projects
We have produced research outputs in a number of categories, including contributions to specialist publications (articles), books, journals, chapters of books, contributions to conferences, non-textual research (research through design), and commissioned reports.
Discover our areas of expertise
Architectural and urban history and theory is one of 8 areas of expertise within our Architecture, Interiors and Urbanism research. Explore the others below.
Research groups
Our members

Mr Pablo Martinez Capdevila
- Job Title Senior Lecturer
- Email Address pablo.martinez@port.ac.uk
- Department School of Architecture
- Faculty Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
- PhD Supervisor PhD Supervisor
Interested in a PhD in Architecture, Interiors & Urbanism?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Architecture, Interiors & Urbanism postgraduate research degrees page.