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New illustrated book ‘London in the 18th Century’
London in the 18th Century presents a stunning reproduction of pioneering cartographer John Rocque’s 1746 masterpiece “An Exact Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Borough of Southwark” a new map which provided an unprecedented, detailed bird’s-eye view of London for the first time. Superior in clarity to anything that had gone
before, Roque’s 1746 map of London was nothing short of revolutionary – presenting the city and its rural surrounds in fine and accurate detail for the very first time. Anyone who compares Rocque’s map with its modern counterparts will find it remarkably precise, for by his day the instrumental survey, with perambulator, plane-table and theodolite, was already nearly two centuries old. The map, in 24 sections, has been carefully conserved and the contemporary illustrations restored to pristine quality to give unique insight into Georgian London. Each section is brought to life with an accompanying history and illustrations, exploring what life in London’s districts was like at the time, while identifying streets and buildings which still exist and plotting the course of major thoroughfares yet to come. Roque’s map transports readers to a time when London was the most intensely industrialised area of the country and a global centre for trade. Each section reveals the stories of different areas of London, at a time when Bermondsey was the centre of Ropemaking, watchmakers in Clerkenwell and weavers in Spitalfields, where Marylebone fields was an area of scrubland used for duels and hampered by highway men and Whitechapel was the city’s rubbish dump, where Bloomsbury had fresh water springs and where the city stopped at the river, with South London a land of fields, orchards, Inns, farms, timber yards and military camping grounds.
Futurebuild conference confronts the 3Rs: Resilience, reuse and regenerative design
Futurebuild 2026 has unveiled an unashamedly provocative main conference programme, placing resilience firmly at the centre of the built environment conversation. Taking place from 12-14 May 2026 at Excel London, big hitters representing UKGBC, RIBA, ACAN, Architects Declare and The Sustainable Development Foundation, among others, are set to explore how construction can move beyond business as usual and deliver genuinely resilient outcomes. “In education, the ‘Three Rs’ define the fundamentals of learning: reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic. As the built environment faces accelerating climate, social and economic pressures, the question becomes more urgent. What are the critical Rs for our future?,” says Event Director, Martin Hurn. For Futurebuild 2026, the Arena Conference answers that question by focusing on Resilience, examined through the lens of Reuse and Regenerative design in the built and natural environment. Together, they form a deliberately challenging framework that asks whether the industry is prepared to fundamentally rethink how it designs, builds and operates. “For Futurebuild, resilience means facing the realities of climate, nature and social change head on,” adds Martin. “In 2026, we’re doubling down on sustainability and innovation in the arena - and across the entire show - to connect strategy with delivery and ambition with action.” For more information visit:
futurebuild.co.uk
Business as usual is NOT an option
says the CITB The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has released its Industry Picture 2026. The report presents a wide body of evidence that explores the challenges and opportunities underpinning the construction skills gap, turning data and forecasts into a clear, accessible view of the whole industry. Its aim is to help industry, employers, Government, and training providers understand the significant trends and challenges for construction and where targeted action can have the greatest impact. The report finds that if the construction industry continues with the same approach, it will encounter a widening gap between project demand and its capacity to deliver. The widening construction skills gap has been reported by CITB and industry for years. The Industry Picture presents a longer-term concern – that leaving the gap unaddressed any longer puts the industry at increased risk, and the results will be tangible societal consequences; the homes and infrastructure that communities across the country urgently need will be delayed or cancelled. Another repercussion is more economic; a widening skills gap will limit the volume of work that can be delivered and push up tender prices as firms compete for scarce labour and skills. The report highlights that, to secure its future and deliver on national ambitions, industry must invest more in people, modernise its approach to skills and training, and work collaboratively across the sector. These combined approaches will help industry build capacity, close the skills gap, boost productivity, and remain a key driver of economic growth. To achieve this, the Industry Picture
recommends co-ordinated action to make construction a more attractive career option, connect better training with real job opportunities, improve flexibility to retain more workers at every stage of their career, and make better use of modern technologies. To download the full report, visit:
www.citb.co.uk/the-industry-picture
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