The Pugin Conspiracy: An Architectural Dark Secret

This thesis addresses the work involved in the Houses of Parliament by Augustus Pugin, one the most innovative architects of the neo-Gothic era.

The basis however of this document, is not to become an extended biography regarding Pugin and his life, nor is it to portray a historical database of facts, from beginning to end, regarding the Houses of Parliament. This document reviews, in a holistic way, which architect deserves to be proclaimed as "The Architect of the Houses of Parliament", due to the fact that to this day, neither Augustus Pugin's descendants nor Charles Barry's descendants accept either man's work regarding this building.

This is an attempt, even though touching on a controversial area as it may seem, to shed some light upon this dilemma in history, as well as why it was important for Pugin at that particular time to bring back a notion of architecture that was long gone, setting himself as a visionary of the Gothic Revival movement due to his fanatical obsession regarding the purity and symbolism of this particular style of architecture as well as what it offered to the Christian people at the time.

By analysing through the various political and personal struggles of the era regarding Pugin and his subsequent struggles regarding this building, the ultimate goal would be to realize the who and the why, behind a building that represents a nation.