The careful observation of three building traditions, which were developed in parallel in three European cities (London, Lisbon and Barcelona), may enable the creation of new narratives about the city and its history. Instead of a description of the architecture based on art movements, the text proposes an approach to what lies behind the façade. At the start of the industrialisation process of the eighteenth century, three events (the Great Fire of London, the Lisbon earthquake and the early and unexpected industrialisation of Barcelona) forced a change in the construction systems used for houses in these cities. This comparative approach may open up a fascinating narrative world on the society of that time that could be of use to city museums that are interested in the construction of European identity.