Chris Rogers writes and speaks on architecture and other aspects of visual culture, informed by thirty years of research and conversations with practitioners. He is the author of three books and a contributor to several others, including Lonely Planet's new Experience London guide to the British capital.
Chris has delivered lectures for a range of groups and created architectural tours for organisations and private clients. He has assisted students, film-makers and specialists and facilitated charity donations to cultural causes. A selection of his collaborations across a range of subjects can be found on the Partnerships tab of this site.
In his architectural advocacy Chris often works closely with architects and occupiers, and employs archives and other primary sources. He gave a series of talks on architectural memory for the London Festival of Architecture in 2017, delivered the final class of The London Society's Saturday Architecture School that year and opened the Twentieth Century Society's spring lecture series in 2020.
Chris is part of the Almeida theatre’s community of digital writers, who review new productions, and was invited to write essays for 30-Second Paris edited by John Flower (Ivy Press, 2018), The Barbican - Architecture and Light by photographer Alan Ainsworth (Oblique, 2015) and Image and Myth by artist and print-maker Richard Walker (Paul Holberton, 2004).
Online and in print Chris has written for Little White Lies, Art Quarterly (the magazine of British art-saving charity The Art Fund), The Architects' Journal and The Big Picture, and has guest-edited the London Architecture Diary. He was also a regular critic for Art of England magazine before its closure.
Chris lives in London and can be found on LinkedIn.
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Portrait: Rob Wickings
"This is super […] your blog is the best serious introduction to the place we have" Graham Voce, co-owner of the 'Grand Designs' Lambeth water tower
"Thanks for sending this – it’s good [...] I think you’ll find further evidence in [Public Enemies] to support the case you elegantly and concisely put forth here." Gavin Smith, Editor, Film Comment, New York
“I’m a student studying Interior Architecture & Design at university. We have recently been given a project to redesign the head office of a NGO. I have chosen the Cancer Research head office in The Angel building….”
“I’m a journalist with the Guardian. I read, with great interest, one of your blog postings as it corresponded to a large extent with an issue that I am currently looking at… I would be extremely grateful for any time which you might have to spare. I'm trying to bring myself up to date with the situation in relation to some of the developments you wrote about...”
Responses to a fan link to Fragments of a hologram rose: Re-seeing Blade Runner: Great post [...] Gaff’s deleted script is excellent. Thanks for posting [...] Great, great post [...] Wow, mind blown: that cool gun that Leon uses in the first scene... [...] Yeah good one the Esper discussion is fascinating [...] This has some great photos and bits of information that I hadn’t come across before, thanks! [...]
Chris's third book - a publisher's best-seller - reveals the hidden gems as well as the iconic landmarks of London's rich built history, from shops that survived the Great Fire to the 2012 Olympic village. Covering the West End, City and Docklands, the book follows the same format as How to Read Paris.
"Rather wonderful"
– Don Brown, The London Society
Ivy Press, 2017, ISBN 978 1 782404 52 1
Become an architectural detective with Chris's second book, investigating the styles of a thousand years of building in the world's most visited city from the middle ages to the present day. Illustrated with drawings and photographs, maps and addresses are also included along with a list of resources.
"A little gem"
– Terry Philpot, Tablet
Ivy Press, 2016 with Larousse (French edition) and Akal (Spanish), ISBN 978 1 78240 406 4
Chris's first book examines the career and works of the late British architect Michael Pearson, the third generation to head the practice founded by his grandfather in 1904. Included are his presidency of the Architectural Association and his prescient Burne House building. Additional material enhances the book.
"Throws light on significant achievements"
– Patrick Duerden, Practice Director, Donald Insall
Associates
Black Dog Publishing, 2010, ISBN 978 1 906155 73 5