One of the largest and most wide-spread change in the way that London has been constructed in any period has been the introduction, by cut-and-fill methods, of Basements below a grander Entrance Level below in turn Reception Rooms and ultimately Bedrooms – Servant (in probably an inevitable aspect) being at both the top (to sleep in Attics) and bottom (in the Basement, working hard no doubt). This is still one of the most visible – although maybe least noticed, engineering aspects of London.
Other Cities, both in the UK and Abroad, have building works that are much more ambitious and extensive with places such as Edinburgh, Bournemouth at home and Lausanne abroad being random, but notable, examples.
Bournemouth has many Chines set in natural folds-in-the-ground helping to form what is an extensive network of Car-Free walkways feeding much of the Town.
Peter Deakins friba cld.ucl - NOTES from BATTERSEA 