This lecture by architect Charlotte Harris presents a close reading of the layered architectural history of 17 Bloomsbury Square, a building that has been in a state of continual transformation for more than 350 years. Originally constructed in the 17th century as part of Bloomsbury’s early urban development, the structure has been repeatedly reshaped by a series of notable occupants. Among them are the architect John Nash, who adapted the building in the late 18th century; the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, which introduced substantial alterations from the mid-19th century onward; and, since the 1980s, the German Historical Institute, whose tenure has added yet another chapter to its evolving form.

In this lecture, the project is presented as a case study in episodic and interventional design, developed through detailed historical research in collaboration with Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture. It examines how architectural adaptation and urban reuse become inscribed in the fabric of a building, revealing how lived history and shifting social functions accumulate as spatial and material layers.

The talk guides the audience through the building’s successive configurations, uses, and appearances using morphological analysis, archival photographs, and interpretive visual studies. These materials illuminate how 17Bloomsbury Square has responded to—and been reshaped by—changing architectural aspirations, institutional demands, and historical circumstances.

https://studiocharlotteharris.com/Studio-Charlotte-Harris