press release - Bloomsbury Publishing

*** PRESS RELEASE *** London, 10 February 2015

Bloomsbury Publishing Signs Agreement with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the University of London to Publish Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture, 21st Edition Bloomsbury Publishing is pleased to announce the future publication of Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture, 21st Edition, a landmark new edition of a long-standing classic providing the most authoritative and up-to-date account of the history of the world’s architecture. Alongside a high-quality print edition planned for publication in autumn 2017, Banister Fletcher will make the move into the digital age, becoming available to a new online audience in 2018 as part of an innovative, interactive digital resource for the study of architecture and architectural history. Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture is the world’s acknowledged classic work of architectural history reference. Since the first edition was published in 1896, it has been declared the ‘Book of the Century’ by the American Institute of Architects and has become essential reading for generations of architects and students. This tradition continues today, with the 21st Edition set to provide the most comprehensive global history of architecture available in any form. The new edition will see a series of firsts for this historic book. As well as its first move online, it will be the first time that the text has been entirely rewritten throughout since Sir Banister Fletcher (1866-1953) was alive, and it will also be the first time the work is published in full colour. Jonathan Glasspool, Managing Director of Bloomsbury Academic comments: “We are delighted to become the publishers of Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture, a work with a long history and distinguished pedigree. With our print publishing expertise and our track-record in producing innovative online resources for the academic and specialist markets, Bloomsbury is uniquely well-placed to re-launch this important work for a new generation of students and scholars.” Gill Webber, RIBA Executive Director of Communication and Outreach said: “For well over 100 years, Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture has held an unrivalled position as the definitive publication on the history of architecture. RIBA is delighted to be working with Bloomsbury Publishing and the University of London on the 21 st edition including an innovative new digital resource. With this latest edition of the work we hope to inspire a new global generation of readers about architecture and architectural history.”

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For more information, please contact Dora Coventry on [email protected], 0207 631 5927

Notes to Editors About RIBA The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a charity championing better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. The RIBA has one of the world’s finest architecture collections. Highlights include the world's largest collection of drawings by architect Andrea Palladio, the largest body in the world of British architectural drawings: by Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, Pugin and many others, the archives of prominent architects and architectural practices, a collection of printed books dating back to 1478, complete runs of major journal titles and the largest holding of architectural photographs in the world (1.5 million). Our collections have formed the basis of major exhibitions around the world. Our collections can be seen at the RIBA's Architecture Gallery in our Grade II* listed Art Deco headquarters and the RIBA Study Rooms and Architecture Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum, or by attending one of our talks, exhibitions or learning events for children, students and adults. In his will Sir Banister Fletcher bequeathed the copyright of A History of Architecture to be held in trust by the RIBA and the University of London (where he taught) and to be kept in print in perpetuity. As well as the copyright in the text, a huge number of lantern slides used in his lectures and the distinctive line-drawings made by Banister Fletcher’s architectural practice to illustrate the work are now held in the RIBA collections. www.architecture.com @RIBA

About Bloomsbury Publishing Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house established in 1986. It has companies in London, New York, Sydney and New Delhi. Its four divisions include Bloomsbury Academic and Professional, Bloomsbury Information, Bloomsbury Adult Publishing and Bloomsbury Children's Publishing. Bloomsbury Academic has grown rapidly since its inception in 2008, and specialises in the humanities, social sciences and visual arts. Output of titles and services is over 1200 per year. The division includes the active imprints of Bloomsbury Academic, Bloomsbury Professional, Methuen Drama, Arden Shakespeare, Fairchild Books, and the historic imprints of A&C Black, Berg Publishers, Bristol Classical Press, Duckworth Academic, Continuum, and AVA Books. Within the division, we publish many world-leading writers, Nobel laureates and researchers in their fields, and actively seek out the emerging generation of authors. A focus for the division is expanding its digital subscription revenues. In addition to several thousand eBooks, we publish a rapidly-increasing range of innovative digital subscription services, including the award-winning Berg Fashion Library and Drama Online, Bloomsbury Collections, Bloomsbury Professional Tax and Law Online, and the Churchill Archive. The Academic & Professional division was winner of the IPG Independent Publisher of the Year Award and Frankfurt Book Fair Academic & Professional Publisher of the Year in March 2013. It was winner of Academic & Professional Publisher of the Year in both 2013 and 2014 at The Bookseller Annual UK Industry awards. www.bloomsbury.com @BloomsburyAcad For more information, please contact Dora Coventry on [email protected], 0207 631 5927