Revolutionary Architecture Shifts explores the profound relationship between political revolutions and architectural design in late 18th-century Paris, London, and Philadelphia. It examines how revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity manifested in urban planning, public buildings, and symbolic design. The book reveals how architecture served as a powerful tool for shaping political ideology and establishing national identity during a period of immense social and intellectual change, such as the Enlightenment. For instance, neoclassical architecture, with its emphasis on order and reason, became a visual representation of these new political concepts. The book uniquely juxtaposes architectural developments in these three distinct cities to highlight the contrasting ways that universal Enlightenment ideals were adapted across different revolutionary contexts.
Beginning with an overview of neoclassical architecture and Enlightenment thought, the book dedicates individual sections to Paris, London, and Philadelphia, analyzing specific architectural projects and urban planning initiatives within each city. It culminates in a comparative analysis, highlighting both the common threads and unique divergences in how each city used architecture to reflect its political transformation and to shape its civic identity.
