Architecture and the Face of Coal

Black Diamonds: Architecture of the British Coal Industry

With British coal mines dwindling and carbon emission targets looming, the coal industry faces extinction. Yet, coal fueled Britain’s Industrial Revolution and shaped the modern state. In the 20th century, it spurred massive building programs focused on miners’ welfare, settlements, and housing. Architecture’s form, space, organization, and aesthetics became crucial to the industry’s modernization and public perception. Despi…