Barry, Charles and Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore (1836 to 60). British Houses of Parliament. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, London.

As with all architectural achievement, the British House of Parliament seeks to indicate its relationship to the common woman or man. Conceptually, the rhythmic, vertical pacing of the façade as seen from the Thames implies consistency and clock-work, intricate movement between the parts that oversee the government. Bastions soar with aspiration to the sky and terminate at tiny points. A basic principle of British statecraft is conflict; the party that does not win the prime minister seat occupies the official position titled “The Opposition” to check the activities of the government. Conflict is not referenced in the construction of this building. 

The choice to revive the Gothic style was not only because of its obvious beauty but also because the foundations of what would become the British state were laid during this era (11^th century). In addition, masters of the time believed their culture was responsible for the origination of the Gothic style, but this was true in most of the major cultural centers of Europe. Remarkable organic balance is represented by the emphasis of upward movement timed in sideways organization; the manner in which the pinnacles pierce the sky and consistent arrangement of windows represents balance between solid and empty space. An unmistakable and effortless sense of beauty and order is inspired in even the most casual observer. 

Formatting is universally developed and dramatic with a single exception: The reference to time. It is a repeated theme; an impression of it is created through the before-mentioned pacing, but it is also literally referenced by the watchtower. What was a style to most in the Gothic tradition was much more to the creators of this complex. While the industrial age reduced production times and had an increased capacity to produce wealth, something of the organic, individualistic qualities in the act of creation had been lost. Industrial products, at least to Barry and Pugin, were garish and void of beauty. They believed the requirement of personal expression in products that were not mass produced by machines as represented in the Middle Ages were preferable than what the advancements of their era provided and represented. 

References

(The United Kingdom Government website) (n.d.). How Government Works. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/how-government-works

(The United Kingdom Parliament website) (n.d.). How Parliament Works. Retrieved from: http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/