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Holly Smith is a Research Fellow at St John’s College, University of Cambridge, focusing on modern British history. Her scholarly work encompasses various aspects of political, social, urban, and architectural history, with a particular emphasis on the politics of the built environment and how it influences public life. She obtained her BA in 2019 and MPhil in 2020 from the University of Cambridge, followed by a PhD at University College London from 2020 to 2023, funded by the Wolfson Scholarship. Her forthcoming book, 'Air: History High-Rise Britain,' published by Verso in 2025, examines the experiences of residents interacting with the ever-evolving skyline in Britain. Smith’s research notably includes the impact of the Ronan Point tower block disaster in 1968, which earned her the Duncan Tanner Prize from Oxford University Press in 2022. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Hawksmoor Medal from the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain in 2022 for her article revising the mythologies of the design of the Park Hill estate in Sheffield. She is actively involved in the movement for housing justice and has been researching community architecture in modern Britain, responding to the challenges of democratic participation in urban design.
St John's College, University of Cambridge • Cambridge, ENG
Research Fellow at St John's College focusing on modern British history, political and social urban history.
Standard postgraduate requirements for Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) and related humanities departments.