SAHGB Architectural History Workshop

The Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain (SAHGB) invites presentation proposals for the Architectural History Workshop in 2020. This is our annual event for postgraduate students and early career professionals to share and develop their ideas; it aims to provide an informal and supportive space away from your own institution where you can discuss, debate, practice and enjoy the company of like-minded researchers and scholars working within the history of the built environment, broadly conceived. 

The theme of this year’s Workshop is ‘Beyond the Academy: Architectural History in Heritage, Conservation, and Curating.’ Architectural history is practised in a number of fora: in academia, heritage, museums and collections. Academic research and skills have uses beyond the academy and in a competitive and precarious job market, architectural historians need to be open to a wide set of potential career paths. 

We welcome doctoral students and early career professionals in architectural history, heritage, conservation, etc. The event is limited to postgraduate students (full-time or part-time) and early career professionals (those who have completed their postgraduate qualification within the last 5 years). Sessions will be structured to reflect the diversity of presentation styles needed for contemporary practice in architectural history, rather than in themes. Break-out sessions will be facilitated by a panel of invited professionals and scholars to be announced in due course. 

This year we are encouraging scholars to present their research in ways that encourage discursive engagement. Research may be at any stage, from a proposal, final work as you write-up, post- doctoral reflections, or anything in-between. We invite participation in a number of presentation styles including: 

  • Object-based and/or single-image presentations 
  • Reports or heritage statements 
  • Methodological reflections 

Proposals can be for either 

  • 10-minute presentations 
  • Conference posters (A3 sheet in a standard format) 

We welcome research on all periods and all places relating to the study of buildings, the built environment and associated histories that address a full range of methodological approaches to architectural history. All disciplinary approaches are welcome, including but by no means limited to: 

  • Architecture and Theory 
  • Urban History, Histories of Architectural Ecologies 
  • Art History, Material and Visual Culture 
  • History, Social and Cultural History 
  • Archaeology, Anthropology, Geography 
  • Heritage and Conservation of the Built Environment