Wren Talk: Jeremy Melvin discusses Nicholas Barbon, the man who transformed London

'It was not worth his while to deal little; that a bricklayer could do' an admiring contemporary wrote of Wren's contemporary Nicholas Barbon. This assessment contains the key to how Barbon transformed London: he turned property development from an extension of construction (bricklaying) into fully fledged speculation - where it has been ever since.

Barbon invented the concept of risk management through founding the first fire insurance company. His tracts, such as 'An Apology for the Builder' and 'Of Trade', argued the benefits of continuous economic growth backed by expansion of credit. This led Karl Marx, with grudging approval, to make 'Old Barbon' the first economic authority he cited in Das Kapital.

This year's Wren Talk will be given by architectural writer and historian Jeremy Melvin. Formerly consultant curator to the Royal Academy architecture programme, he is Programme Curator for World Architecture Festival and a visiting professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture.

The Talk and Q&A session will be chaired by Paul Finch, editorial director of the Architectural Review and Architects' Journal.

A limited number of tickets are available to attend the event in person, which will also be streamed live on YouTube.

This event is free, but they hope you might consider making a suggested donation of £10 towards the upkeep and maintenance of this historic building.