Pugin, Ruskin and the Moral Case for Gothic Revival Architecture

Born in 1812 in Bloomsbury, London, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin released his work, Contrasts, in 1836, where he claimed that the decline of British society stemmed from the abandonment of Catholic principles, using Buckingham Palace as an example. John Ruskin, who entered the world in 1819, outlined six characteristics of Gothic architecture in his book, "The Nature of Gothic." Following the 1834 fire that destroyed the Palace of Westminster, Charles Barry emerged victorious in the competition for its reconstruction, with Pugin providing design contributions. In 1845, Pugin was tasked with designing Maynooth College in Ireland, but financial constraints led to complications, which J.J. McCarthy resolved by 1860, after Pugin's passing at age 40. In 1863, Belgian architect Jean-Baptiste Bethune collaborated with Pugin's son to construct the Castle of Loppem. Additionally, in 1879, Oūra Cathedral in Japan was redesigned in the Gothic Revival style.