Peter Blundell Jones

Professor Peter Blundell Jones (PBJ, as he was generally known) was a researcher, teacher and award-winning writer who championed the work of lesser-known architects and published on a prolific scale.

Professor Blundell Jones joined the School of Architecture in 1994, having taught at Cambridge and South Bank Universities.

He has been described as the pre-eminent architectural historian of his generation; a scholar who ‘saw architecture essentially as a human discipline’, truly appreciating the historical and social purpose of a building, and inspiring thousands of his students to do the same.

He was named as Architectural Journalist of the Year in 1992 for his work in The Architects Journal; he wrote thirteen books and more than five hundred articles in forty-seven journals, spanning thirteen countries.

He also acted as Chair of Judges for the RIBA President’s Medal for student dissertations from 2006 to 2011.

Professor Blundell Jones died in 2016. In tribute to him, the Sheffield School of Architecture established the Peter Blundell Jones Memorial Fund. The fund enables students of limited means to travel abroad and experience architecture from different cultures first-hand.

Watch the video below to hear from some of those who have been inspired by Peter Blundell Jones's book, Modern Architecture through Case Studies.

Tell us your story

The collection currently consists of over 500 books.

Have you been inspired by a publication by a member of University staff?

Throughout the last year we have been canvassing staff, students and alumni to garner nominations for books by our Sheffield Academics that have inspired, motivated or informed.

Tell us your story and help shape our showcase - book nominations