Architecture: public and commercial Books

1110 products


  • Britains 100 Best Railway Stations

    Penguin Books Ltd Britains 100 Best Railway Stations

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisDiscover the architectural gems that are Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations in this Sunday Times top 10 bestseller'This is a cracker . . . a beautiful book' Chris EvansIt is the scene for our hopeful beginnings and our intended ends, and the timeless experiences of coming and going, meeting, greeting and parting. It is an institution with its own rituals and priests, and a long-neglected aspect of Britain's architecture. And yet so little do we look at the railway station. Simon Jenkins has travelled the length and breadth of Great Britain, from Waterloo to Wemyss Bay, Betws-y-Coed to Beverley, to select his hundred best railway stations. Blending his usual insight and authority with his personal reflections and experiences - including his founding the Railway Heritage Trust - the foremost expert on our national heritage deftly reveals the history, geography, design and significance of each of these glories. Beautifully illustrated with colour photographs throughout, this joyous exploration of our social history shows the station's role in the national imagination; champions the engineers, architects and rival companies that made them possible; and tells the story behind the triumphs and follies of these very British creations. These are the marvellous, often undersung places that link our nation, celebrated like never before. 'However spectacular the book's photographs, it's the author's prowess as a phrase-maker that keeps you turning the pages' The Times'An uplifting exploration of our social history' GuardianTrade Review[Spreads] enthusiasm by inviting the reader to join in a game of admiration. -- Christopher Howse * Telegraph *However spectacular the book's photographs, it's the author's prowess as a phrase-maker that keeps you turning the pages -- Richard Morrison * The Times *A most beautiful book . . . full of information. I'd like to travel to every one of the stations. Simon Jenkins is a blessing to the nation, keeping an eye on our buildings and making sure they are not forgotten or neglected. -- Claire TomalinJenkins has unearthed a lot of gems. The photography is stunning -- Christian Wolmar * Spectator *This is a cracker . . . a beautiful book -- Chris EvansSimon Jenkins extols the virtues of 100 of them, as well as offering a brief history of the rise, fall and rise again of Britain's railways. And he is the perfect person to do so. Excellent, enticing. -- Gavin Stamp * Evening Standard *This glorious and utterly essential guide to Britain's best railway stations is also a history of some of the remarkable - but often undersung - landmarks to our social history * The Bookseller *Masterly, perhaps a masterpiece * Independent, Books of the Year on 'England's Thousand Best Churches' *Every house in England should have a copy of this book -- Auberon Waugh on 'England's Thousand Best Churches' * Literary Review, Book of the Century *Jenkins is, like all good guides, more than simply informative: he can be courteous and rude, nostalgic and funny, elegant, convincing and relaxed' -- Adam Nicolson on 'England's Thousand Best Houses' * Evening Standard *Any passably cultured inhabitant of the British Isles should ask for, say, three or four copies of this book -- Max Hastings on 'England's Thousand Best Houses' * Sunday Telegraph *Full of stand-out facts . . . absolutely fascinating -- Richard Bacon on 'A Short History of England' * BBC Radio 2 *Full of the good judgements one might hope for from such a sensible and readable commentator, and they alone are worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought -- Michael Wood on 'A Short History of England' * New Statesman *Jenkins has travelled the length and breadth of Great Britain's railways. Beautifully illustrated with colour photos, this is an uplifting exploration of our social history * The Guardian *

    2 in stock

    £14.39

  • Surrey

    Yale University Press Surrey

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA newly expanded volume on England’s pre-eminent ‘Home County,’ exploring its mix of rural and urban architecture as well as its many major historic buildings Trade Review“Objective, detailed and comprehensive.”—Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph“It aims to profile architecture of quality both familiar and unfamiliar. It’s a task this volume undertakes in exemplary fashion (despite the challenge of being prepared in part during the pandemic). Even allowing for the fact that Surrey has been subject to destructive and sprawling development, what this volume really demonstrates is the astonishing amount there is for the architectural enthusiast of every period to enjoy in the county.”—John Goodall, Country Life“As the great series draws to a close, it has never looked better.”—Andrew Saint, Victorian Magazine“Much bigger and far more comprehensive than its predecessors, hugely improved by the splendid colour photographs, many by Robert Forster.”—James Stevens, The Critic

    2 in stock

    £54.00

  • Hazelwood A Community Story

    IngramSpark Hazelwood A Community Story

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    3 in stock

    £17.99

  • Bloomsbury Visual Arts Detailing Worlds

    2 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    2 in stock

    £24.99

  • Heaven on Earth: The Lives and Legacies of the

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Heaven on Earth: The Lives and Legacies of the

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA glorious illustrated history of sixteen of the world's greatest cathedrals, interwoven with the extraordinary stories of the people who built them. 'An impeccable guide to the golden age of ecclesiastical architecture' The Times 'Vivid, colourful and absorbing' Dan Jones 'An epic ode to some of our most beautiful and beloved buildings' Helen Carr A glorious history of sixteen of the world’s greatest cathedrals, interwoven with the extraordinary stories of the people who built them. The emergence of the Gothic style in twelfth-century France, characterized by pointed arches, rib vaults, flying buttresses and large windows, forms the central core of Emma Wells’s authoritative but accessible study of the golden age of the cathedral. More than architectural biographies, these are human stories of triumph and tragedy that take the reader from the chaotic atmosphere of the mason’s yard to the cloisters of power. Together, they reveal how 1000 years of cathedral-building shaped modern Europe, and influenced art, culture and society around the world.Trade ReviewAn impeccable guide to the golden age of ecclesiastical architecture... Meticulously researched... It's to Wells's credit that she manages to make the history of these cathedrals as gripping as she does. * The Times *Combining scholarship and an eye for human stories, Heaven on Earth is a vivid, colourful and absorbing tour of the greatest buildings the medieval world produced. -- Dan JonesShines scholarly light on the history of the great cathedrals of Europe and uncovers the wealth of human stories they hold. Rich in animated, erudite and compassionate storytelling about how people in the past expressed spirituality in magnificent physical form... An epic ode to some of our most beautiful and beloved buildings. -- Helen CarrEmma J. Wells has written an accessible, authoritative and lavishly illustrated account of the building of 16 of "the world's greatest cathedrals" * Spectator *Wells brings these buildings vividly to life, peopling them with their authors and sponsors, their triumphs and tribulations, and beautifully illustrated * Country Life *Sumptuously presented... A fascinating look at how people in the Middle Ages combined spirituality, symbolism, mathematics and monumental toil to create some of history's grandest buildings * History Revealed *This beautifully written and impeccably researched book is an utter joy to read, managing to be both academic and yet accessible to the lay reader * Yorkshire Life *Strikingly show[s] the influence these imposing buildings exerted [and] the importance of the people who built these places * History Today *

    2 in stock

    £13.49

  • Interwar

    Profile Books Ltd Interwar

    4 in stock

    Book Synopsis''Elegant, erudite and entertaining ... a superbly detailed picture of an architectural era'' The Times''A magnificent monument in itself to a fine architectural writer'' Simon Heffer, TelegraphBritish architecture between the wars is most famous for the rise of modernism - the flat roofs, clean lines and concrete of the Isokon flats in Hampstead and the Penguin Pool at London Zoo - but the reality was far more diverse. As the modernists came of age and the traditionalists began to decline, there arose a rich variety of styles and tastes in Britain and across the empire, a variety that reflected the restless zeitgeist of the years before the Second World War.At the time of his death in 2017, Gavin Stamp, one of Britain''s leading architectural critics, was at work on a deeply considered account of British architecture in the interwar period, correcting what he saw as the skewed view of earlier historians who were unable to see past modernism. Beginning with a survey of the modern movement after the armistice, Interwar untangles the threads that link lesser-known movements like the Egyptian revival with the enduring popularity of the Tudorbethan, to chronicle one of Britain''s most dynamic architectural periods. The result is more than an architectural history - it is the portrait of a changing nation.As an account of the period that still shapes much of Britain''s towns and cities, Gavin Stamp''s final work is the definitive history of British architecture between the Great War and the Blitz.

    4 in stock

    £21.25

  • Cumbrias Prehistoric Monuments

    The History Press Ltd Cumbrias Prehistoric Monuments

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhether it is Hadrian''s Wall, Kendal Castle or the beautiful fells of the Lake District for thousands of years people have found a certain elegance and utility in stone. Nestled amongst these common relics are a multitude of massive stone monuments, built over 3,000 years before British shores were ever touched by Roman sandals. Cumbria's ''megalithic'' monuments are among Europe''s greatest and best-preserved ancient relics but are often poorly understood and rarely visited. Cumbria's Prehistoric Monuments aims to dispel the idea that these stones are merely mysterious'. Instead, within this book you will find credible answers, using up-to-date research, excavation notes, maps and diagrams to explore one of Britain''s richest archaeological landscapes. Featuring stunning original photography and newly illustrated diagrams of every megalithic site in the county, Adam Morgan Ibbotson invites you to take a journey into a land sculpted by ancient hands.

    3 in stock

    £19.54

  • Transworld Publishers Ltd Bryant & May’s Peculiar London

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisAs the nation's oldest serving detectives, we know more about London than almost anyone. After all, we've been walking its streets and impulsively arresting its citizens for decades. Who better to take you through its less savoury side? We'll be chatting about odd buildings, odder characters, lost venues, forgotten disasters, confusing routes, dubious gossip, illicit pleasures and hidden pubs. We'll be making all sorts of odd connections and showing you why it's almost impossible to separate fact from fiction in London. With the help of some of our more disreputable friends, each an argumentative and unreliable expert in his or her own dodgy field, we'll explain why some streets have genders, why only two Londoners got to meet Dracula, how a department store and a prison played tricks on your mind, when a theatre got stranded in the past, how a building vanished in plain sight, what excited Charlotte Brontë about the city and where the devils hide in London. We hope to capture something of the city's restless spirit by wilfully wandering off course, and it goes without saying that we'll bluff and bamboozle you along the way but that's all part of the fun. History is what you remember. London is what you forget (and we've forgotten a lot). So please do join us on this magical mystery tour of our city. Who knows where we'll end up?Trade ReviewOne of the glories of the modern crime fiction field? The deliriously eccentric books by Christopher Fowler. -- Barry Forshaw * FINANCIAL TIMES *Devilishly clever . . . mordantly funny . . . sometimes heartbreakingly moving. -- VAL McDERMIDIf you have never entered the curious world of Bryant and May, you're in for a treat. * THE TIMES *One of the glories of the modern crime fiction field? The deliriously eccentric books by Christopher Fowler. -- Barry Forshaw * FINANCIAL TIMES *

    3 in stock

    £10.44

  • Design Monograph: Hadid

    Headline Publishing Group Design Monograph: Hadid

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisA design monograph series on the most remarkable architects, designers, brands and design movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, each book contains a historical-critical essay discussing the life and work of the subject, followed by an illustrated appreciation of groundbreaking work.One of the few female architects to get world-wide recognition and the first to receive the Pritzker, Iraqi-British Hadid was nicknamed the 'Queen of the Curve'. Dramatic and confident, her buildings were influenced by globalism, elegantly flowing yet full of surprises. Her major works include the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics, Broad Art Museum and the Guangzhou Opera House; many others were completed after her unexpected death in 2016.

    3 in stock

    £13.49

  • Scottish Monuments and Memorials

    Whittles Publishing Scottish Monuments and Memorials

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisExplores the extraordinary range of monuments and memorials to be found in Scotland. Covers over 500 monuments and memorials which range from follies to fountains and from delicate sundials to colossal statues of long-dead aristocracy.

    2 in stock

    £18.04

  • Monumental Times: Pasts, Presents, and Futures in the Prehistoric Construction Projects of Northern and Western Europe

    Oxbow Books Monumental Times: Pasts, Presents, and Futures in the Prehistoric Construction Projects of Northern and Western Europe

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book is concerned with the origins, uses and subsequent histories of monuments. It emphasises the time scales illustrated by these structures, and their implications for archaeological research. It is concerned with the archaeology of Western and Northern Europe, with an emphasis on structures in Britain and Ireland, and the period between the Mesolithic and the Viking Age.It begins with two famous groups of monuments and introduces the problem of multiple time scales. It also considers how they influence the display of those sites today – they belong to both the present and the past. Monuments played a role from the moment they were created, but approaches to their archaeology led in opposite directions. They might have been directed to a future that their builders could not control. These structures could be adapted, destroyed, or left to decay once their significance was lost. Another perspective was to claim them as relics of a forgotten past. In that case they had to be reinterpreted.The first part of this book considers the rarity of monumental structures among hunter-gatherers, and the choice of building materials for Neolithic houses and tombs. It emphasises the difference between structures whose erection ended the use of significant places, and those whose histories could extend into the future. It also discusses ‘megalithic astronomy’ and ancient notions of time. Part Two is concerned with the reuse of ancient monuments and asks whether they really were expressions of social memory. Did links with an ‘ancestral past’ have much factual basis? It contrasts developments during the Beaker phase with those of the early medieval period. The development of monumental architecture is compared with the composition of oral literature.Table of Contents1. Pasts, presents and futures: Bredarör and the Boyne Valley Part 1: Key considerations 2. The tyranny of typing 3. Material differences 4. Closing and opening 5. Time and the sky Part 2: Pasts in retrospect 6. Allusions and illusions 7. Associations and origins 8. Oral literature and the histories of monuments 9. Monumental times: Avebury and the Upper Kennet Valley

    3 in stock

    £37.95

  • Brutalist Paris Map: Guide to Brutalist

    Blue Crow Media Brutalist Paris Map: Guide to Brutalist

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    3 in stock

    £9.37

  • Fake Heritage

    Yale University Press Fake Heritage

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDarlington is a well-travelled, polymathic archaeologist [and] a man of great energy and enthusiasms...who generously shows off his knowledge.”—Jonathan Meades, Literary Review“[F]ull of comparably entertaining case studies — tales of human and architectural folly...It also warns the reader that little of the man-made world is left untouched by the curation, or falsification, of historical appearance.”—John Maier, Spectator“[Darlington] concludes that whether fakery is good or bad is often nuanced, but that it’s important to “look closer, be curious, challenge” what’s in front of us to understand better what we’re being presented with. He’s right and this enjoyable book offers a good way to learn how to do that.”—Martin Bentham, Evening Standard“As John Darlington shows in Fake Heritage, it is not just written history that is malleable; it is also history on the ground, heritage in brick and stone, wood and metal.”—Simon Jenkins, Times Literary Supplement “Darlington's book [offers] an alternative view, one where architecture is equally obsessed with remaking its own past.”—Charles Holland, Apollo Magazine“It is a good read, nicely illustrated and is timely, given the controversies about statues and the vexed ownership of the past.”—Bernard Richards, Oxford Magazine"As the author adds examples he adds layers of complexity...The important thing is to be aware of that and to base one’s reaction to the presentation of the past on sound knowledge and appropriate perspective. Fake Heritage is an excellent way to start."—Historic House 'Editor's Pick'“Concisely written, and the numerous colour images are excellent.”—Jerry Glover, Fortean Times“To make a judgement, you have to inspect the actual building or monument to assess whether it is well or badly done...John Darlington’s book does just this, surveying the worldwide appetite for retro architecture from second rate theme parks to scholarly reconstructions.”—Marcus Binney, SAVE Newsletter“Darlington’s writing is engaging...He presents a huge selection of case studies, drawn from ancient times to the present day. Entertainment value alone makes it a worthwhile read. There is much in it that, I suspect, most of us did not know.”—Robert Beavis, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists“John Darlington…in this attractively produced, accessible book, has provided an engaging tour d'horizon with numerous examples.”—John Bold, Journal of Historic Buildings and Places

    7 in stock

    £26.12

  • Londons Underground

    Quarto Publishing PLC Londons Underground

    Book SynopsisPublished in conjunction with TFL, this is a comprehensive, updated guide to the London Underground, combining a historical overview, illustrations and newly commissioned photography.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Steam Underground 2 Deeper Underground 3 Twentieth-Century Electric 4 In to Work, Out to Live 5 Combining it All 6 War and Austerity 7 Towards a New Tube 8 Renewal Timeline Index Further Reading

    £28.00

  • A History of Western Architecture Seventh Edition

    Laurence King Publishing A History of Western Architecture Seventh Edition

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFar and away the best narrative of western architecture in existence...it stands out as an intellectual triumph. - Sir John SummersonIn this highly acclaimed, classic reference work David Watkin traces the history of western architecture from the earliest times in Mesopotamia and Egypt to the late twentieth century. For this seventh edition, revising author Owen Hopkins provides a new introduction contextualizing Watkin''s approach. The final chapter on the twenty-first century has been completely rewritten by Hopkins, who brings the story right up to date with the inclusion of such topics as re-use, digital cities and virtual architecture.

    2 in stock

    £36.00

  • Architecture In Minutes

    Quercus Publishing Architecture In Minutes

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn this hyper-compact, fully illustrated guide to architecture, Susie Hodge outlines the history and theory of architecture from the earliest structures to the cutting-edge concepts of the present day. Along the way she profiles 200 key buildings, historic styles, architectural movements and celebrated architects from all around the world. Contents include the Greek orders, Roman engineering, Gothic architecture, the Renaissance, the Baroque, Revivalism, Art Nouveau, Modernism and Postmodernism, Futurism and Dynamic architecture along with architects like Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, Gaudi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and Frank Gehry.

    1 in stock

    £9.99

  • The Guggenheim

    Yale University Press The Guggenheim

    Book SynopsisThe captivating tale of the plans and personalities behind one of New York City's most radical and recognizable buildingsTrade Review“[Dal Co] sets out again to trace the circumstances that enabled the realization of a building so resistant to the orthodoxy hardening around it. Drawing from correspondence, theoretical discussions, technical analyses, and substantial previous scholarship, he illustrates the charged climate surrounding the genesis of the Guggenheim, condensing decades into a narrative of overlapping events to arrive at new interpretations of Wright’s masterpiece.”—Kelly Chan, Metropolis“Dal Co . . . [makes] a strong case for the Guggenheim as a masterpiece. No architect less visionary than Wright—or less dedicated to his own vision—could have accomplished so much.”— Stanley Abercrombie Interior Design"An absorbing history and technical analysis behind the design of the landmark structure."—Suzanne Stephens, Architectural Record'…copiously illustrated introduction to the most loved and loathed museum building.’ — James Hall, TLS, 17 November 2017 “Delving deep into the epic process of the Guggenheim Museum’s construction, Francesco Dal Co marvelously walks the psychological tightrope between client, architect, the city of New York and all the people—professional and otherwise—who expressed their opinions publicly.”—Frank Gehry“Icon and iconoclast hold equally for subject and author in this compelling account of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum. Juxtaposing a rich trove of archival sources with new trajectories of interpretation, Francesco Dal Co argues convincingly for the building’s “timelessness,” all the while reminding us that Wright’s now beloved building was once at the heart of seminal controversies.”—Barry Bergdoll, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History, Columbia University“Francesco Dal Co’s rich history of the Guggenheim Museum is a revelation—an elegant and beautifully written book as definitive as Wright’s enigmatic masterpiece.”—Tod Williams, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects“Francesco Dal Co has written the most eloquent and insightful synopsis of New York’s Guggenheim Museum to date.”—Anthony Alofsin, FAIA, author of Wright in New York (forthcoming)"This lucid story shows how Wright sustained his revolutionary concept for the Guggenheim Museum amidst many difficulties, ultimately transforming the modern art museum."—Joseph M. Siry, Wesleyan University

    £23.75

  • British Rail Architecture

    Crecy Publishing British Rail Architecture

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWith many now seeing the return of British Rail as a solution to the manifest problems on Britain''s railways in the 21st century, the work of BR is being re-evaluated on various levels. This book focuses on one aspect of this, BR''s architectural legacy showing how it pursued innovation and experiment in this field. British Rail Architecture demonstrates how twentieth century British railway stations were being brought into the mainstream of modern architecture. It explores not just the buildings and their designers but styles, materials, furniture, colours, artworks and unexpected links to distant places that inspired these changing design idioms. The book''s structure is loosely chronological, accounting for the time architecture takes to evolve from a sketch to a finished building. It begins with the ambitious ideas conceived during the 1930s with inspiration from mainland Europe and then examines post Second World War reconstruction as a precursor to the considerable innovation

    1 in stock

    £28.00

  • Greyfriars Graveyard

    Amberley Publishing Greyfriars Graveyard

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisExplore the story of Greyfriars Graveyard, Edinburghâs most important burial ground since the 16th century.

    3 in stock

    £14.39

  • The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the

    Hodder & Stoughton The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis__________Out now: The most entertaining and fascinating book about architecture and design, from the wildly popular podcast 99% Invisible. __________A New York Times Bestseller'Full of surprises and quirky information . . . a fascinating journey through the over-familiar.' - Financial Times, Best Books of 2020'[A] diverse and enlightening book . . . The 99% Invisible City is altogether fresh and imaginative when it comes to thinking about urban spaces.' -The New York Times Book Review'A delightful book about the under-appreciated wonders of good design' - Tim Harford, bestselling author of The Undercover Economist and Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy'99% Invisible goes deep on the design and architecture we tend to overlook - this is it in glorious guidebook form . . . fascinating.' Wired__________This is 99% Invisible. __________A beautifully designed guidebook to the unnoticed yet essential elements of our cities, from the creators of the wildly popular 99% Invisible podcast Have you ever wondered what those bright, squiggly graffiti marks on the sidewalk mean?Or stopped to ponder who gets to name the streets we walk along?Or what the story is behind those dancing inflatable figures in car dealerships?99% Invisible is a big-ideas podcast about small-seeming things, revealing stories baked into the buildings we inhabit, the streets we drive, and the sidewalks we traverse. The show celebrates design and architecture in all of its functional glory and accidental absurdity, with intriguing tales of both designers and the people impacted by their designs.Now, in The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to Hidden World of Everyday Design, host Roman Mars and coauthor Kurt Kohlstedt zoom in on the various elements that make our cities work, exploring the origins and other fascinating stories behind everything from power grids and fire escapes to drinking fountains and street signs. With deeply researched entries and beautiful line drawings throughout, The 99% Invisible City will captivate devoted fans of the show and anyone curious about design, urban environments, and the unsung marvels of the world around them.__________You are about to see stories everywhere, you beautiful nerd. Now get out there.'If you've ever wondered why our world is the way it is, this show has your answers' The Hustle'99% Invisible...is completely wonderful and entertaining and beautifully produced...' Ira Glass, This American Life'The hugely inventive 99% Invisible treats the design of everyday things like a forensic science.' WIREDTrade ReviewThe ideal companion for city buffs, who'll come away seeing the streets in an entirely different light. - Kirkus Here is a field guide, a boon, a bible, for the urban curious. Your city's secret anatomy laid bare -- a hundred things you look at but don't see, see but don't know. Each entry is a compact, surprising story, a thought piece, an invitation to marvel. Together, they are almost transformative. To know why things are as they are adds a satisfying richness to daily existence. This book is terrific, just terrific. - Mary Roach, author of Stiff and GruntI can hear Roman's dulcet tones as I read through this book. It's absolutely fascinating to get an in depth look at the city through their eyes, my walks will never be the same again. 100% brilliant. - Roma Agrawal, author of Built: The Hidden Stories Behind Our StructuresWe usually define cities in terms of their bigness, so it's easy to forget that our daily experience of any city is made up of countless tiny, intimate encounters. Just as Jane Jacobs did fifty years ago, Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt provide a new way of seeing urban life, finding secrets and surprises behind every sewer grate, storefront, and street sign. - Michael Bierut, design critic and author of How to Use Graphic Design to Sell Things, Explain Things, Make Things Look Better, Make People Laugh, Make People Cry, and (Every Once in a While) Change the WorldConversational, bite-size entries [and] beautiful tricolor illustrations . . . A field guide for anywhere. - BooklistThe 99% Invisible City brings into view the fascinating but often unnoticed worlds we walk and drive through every day, and to read it is to feel newly alive and aware of your place in the world. This book made me laugh, and it made me cry, and it reminded me to always read the plaque.' - John Green, bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All The Way Down[A] diverse and enlightening book . . . The 99% Invisible City is altogether fresh and imaginative when it comes to thinking about urban spaces. - The New York Times Book Review'The Invisible City is not a book, but a pair of magic glasses that transform the mundane city around you into a vibrant museum of human ingenuity.' - Justin McElroy, podcaster and New York Times bestselling author of The Adventure Zone

    5 in stock

    £17.00

  • Design Monograph: Foster

    Headline Publishing Group Design Monograph: Foster

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA design monograph series on the most remarkable architects, designers, brands and design movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, each book contains a historical-critical essay discussing the life and work of the subject, followed by an illustrated appreciation of groundbreaking work.At 87 Manchester-born Norman Foster has an illustrious career that spans many decades. A titan of design and master of high-tech and sustainable architecture, Foster was instrumental in changing the skyline of London and elevating British design. Among his famous structures are the Gherkin (Swiss Re) and the Millau viaduct bridge.

    2 in stock

    £13.49

  • Industrial Britain: An Architectural History

    Batsford Ltd Industrial Britain: An Architectural History

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA fascinating insight into Britain’s industrial past as evidenced by its buildings, richly illustrated with intricate line drawings. Industrial Britain goes far beyond the mills and machine houses of the Industrial Revolution to give an engaging insight into Britain’s industrial heritage. It looks at the power stations and monumental bridges of Britain, including the buildings and engineering projects associated with the distribution of manufactured goods – docks, canals, railways and warehouses. The gasworks Temples of mass production The mill Warehouse and manufactory Dock and harbour buildings Water power and water storage Waterways: canals and rivers The railway age Breweries and oast houses Markets and exchanges The twentieth century: industry on greenfield sites It’s a story of industrial development, but also a story of its ultimate decline. As manufacturing has been increasingly replaced by services, new uses have been found for at least some of the country’s great industrial buildings. Not least as containers for art and heritage, such as the Bankside Power Station (Tate Modern) and Salts Mill. Other buildings featured are still used as originally intended today, such as Smithfield Market in London and the Shepherd Neame brewery in Faversham. Illustrated throughout with over 200 original line drawings, Industrial Britain is a celebration of industrial architecture and its enduring legacy.Trade Review‘Not only a record of the buildings that tell the story of a rapidly industrialising nation but a testament to their importance in the history of British architecture. … A timely reminder of both our continued reliance on heavy industry and the threatened heritage of Britain’s industrial landscapes’ -- InigoTable of ContentsIntroduction Britain’s industrial heritage Fire, forge and furnace The watermill and windmill The power station The gasworks Temples of mass production: the mill Warehouse and manufactory Dock and harbour buildings Water power and water storage Waterways: canals and rivers The railway age Breweries and oast houses Markets and exchanges The twentieth century: industry on greenfield sites Postscript Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £11.69

  • 100 20th-Century Shops

    Batsford Ltd 100 20th-Century Shops

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA showcase of Britain's most architecturally significant shops throughout the twentieth century and beyond.100 20th-Century Shops is a fascinating insight into the heritage of Britain’s changing high street and the diverse architectural styles of the 20th century. Entries in this book showcase 100 often instantly recognisable shops from across the country, from throughout the 20th century and stretching into the 21st, capturing the changing architectural styles of our beloved and rapidly disappearing retail environment.As the UK's retail landscape faces an existential crisis, now is an appropriate time to review and celebrate the architecture of our high streets. From Tudor-revival department stores and futuristic supermarkets to Art Deco shop fronts and post-war Festival style markets, the 100 shops featured here evoke a variety of design styles and traces the history and evolution of our cherished high street. The book also contains essays by respected writers Elain Harwood, Lynn Pearson, Matthew Whitfield, Kathryn A. Morrison and Bronwen Edwards on the design, development and decline of the high street over the last 100 years within a social and political context. This compelling book provides a glimpse into the wonderful shops that Britain has to offer and is a must-have for all fans of design history, architecture and retail.Trade Review‘Beautifully presented.' Country Life, Jack Watkins 'Delightfully rich in nostalgia.’ Financial Times, Edwin Heathcote

    2 in stock

    £21.25

  • Real heritage Pubs of the Southwest: Pub

    CAMRA Books Real heritage Pubs of the Southwest: Pub

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA guide to the pubs throughout the South West that have interiors of real historic significance. From rural `time-warp' pubs to old coaching inns and include some unsung interiors from the inter-war and post-war period. This is the first guide of its kind for the South West.

    2 in stock

    £7.33

  • domus 1960–1969

    Taschen GmbH domus 1960–1969

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFounded in 1928 as a “living diary” by the great Milanese architect and designer Gio Ponti, domus has been hailed as the world’s most influential architecture and design journal. With both style and rigor, it has offered consistent coverage of major themes and stylistic movements in product, structure, interior, and industrial design. This fresh reprint features the highlights from the 1960s issues and documents the daring, practical, and beautiful projects of a decade of futuristic thrill and booming pop culture. Synthetics and plastics hit the stage, leading to radical new design, while conventional notions of elegance give way to fresh exploratory forms. For work to be featured in the magazine it had to offer function, spatial clarity, intellectual persuasion, relevant originality, and/or grace. Those projects and practitioners that made the grade include Ray and Charles Eames, Gae Aulenti, Kenzo Tange, Verner Panton, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Ettore Sottsass, Carlo Scarpa, Angelo Mangiarotti, Cesare Maria Casati, and Eero Saarinen. domus distilled Seven volumes spanning 1928 to 1999 Over 4,000 pages featuring influential projects by the most important designers and architects Original layouts and all covers, with captions providing navigation and context Introductory essays by renowned architects and designers Each edition comes with an appendix featuring texts translated into English, many of which were previously only available in Italian A comprehensive index in each volume listing both designers’ and manufacturers’ names Trade Review“There is no finer overview to the design and architecture of the past 75 years than the magazine domus.” * Financial Times *

    1 in stock

    £27.00

  • Die Gestalten Verlag Beyond the West: New Global Architecture

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £36.00

  • Shoplifter!: New Retail Architecture and Brand

    Die Gestalten Verlag Shoplifter!: New Retail Architecture and Brand

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £40.00

  • Skira Genius of the Place Irqah

    2 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    2 in stock

    £38.40

  • Future Office: Next-generation workplace design

    RIBA Publishing Future Office: Next-generation workplace design

    Book SynopsisThe office is dead. Long live the office. Despite decades of predictions that the office is on the verge of extinction, it is surviving and thriving. Of course things are changing. And changing fast. Digital technologies are transforming not only the work we do, but also the ways our workplaces are designed, built and operated. Automation and AI mean that some jobs will no longer exist whilst others will be created. But the very essence of the workplace — human interaction and collaboration, remains as necessary as ever. In fact, it is the human focus that is driving this new age, with four generations now in the workplace together for the first time. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book discusses the impacts of these changes on the future of work and workplace. The latest technologies are also explored from voice and digital twins, to new materials such as graphene and battery-powered buildings. The book looks at what this means for the design process, the role of the architect and physical place itself in the future, and provides a practical guide to help architects, designers, developers, clients and occupiers create office spaces that promote wellbeing, innovation and growth.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Buildings 1. A place in time: office typologies 2. Fit for the future: sustainability and adaptive buildings Part II: Technology 3. The changing nature of technology and its impacts on office buildings 4. Digital transformation and big data Part III: People 5. Wellbeing 6. Research-led design 7. Workplace as a catalyst for behaviour change Part IV: Delivery 8. Energy, materiality and specification 9. Design leadership in procurement 10. The future of design practice 11. Conclusions: fast-forward to the future

    £38.00

  • domus 1940–1949

    Taschen GmbH domus 1940–1949

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFounded in 1928 as a “living diary” by the great Milanese architect and designer Gio Ponti, domus has been hailed as the world’s most influential architecture and design journal. With style and rigor, it has reported on the major themes and stylistic movements in industrial, interior, product, and structural design. This fresh reprint of domus’ coverage of the 1940s brings together the most important features from a decade of destruction and reconstruction. Even amid the bombing raids inflicted on Milan, domus continued to publish through much of the war, charting the design zeitgeist, while managing a successive turnover of editors and editors-in-chief during Ponti’s “interregnum” between 1941 and 1948. The pages from this period record reports and features on modern industrial design and furniture, new prefabricated houses, American academic architecture, the building projects of Carlo Mollino, Gian Luigi Banfi, Franco Albini, and Giuseppe Terragni, as well as the postwar flowering of Organic Design. domus distilled Seven volumes spanning 1928 to 1999 Over 4,000 pages featuring influential projects by the most important designers and architects Original layouts and all covers, with captions providing navigation and context Introductory essays by renowned architects and designers Each edition comes with an appendix featuring texts translated into English, many of which were previously only available in Italian A comprehensive index in each volume listing both designers’ and manufacturers’ names Trade Review“Filled with nostalgia-inducing color photos and reflections on the era as a whole, this lavish title is a must for both collectors of and newcomers to the world of architecture and design.” * Luxe Magazine *

    1 in stock

    £27.00

  • domus 1970–1979

    Taschen GmbH domus 1970–1979

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFounded in 1928 as a “living diary” by the great Milanese architect and designer Gio Ponti, domus has been hailed as the world’s most influential architecture and design journal. With style and rigor, it has reported on the major themes and stylistic movements in industrial, interior, product, and structural design. This fresh reprint of the 1970s domus coverage brings together the most important features from an era marking seismic changes in architecture and design. It was a time when individualism gained momentum as a novel style, and we began to notice the first postmodernist tendencies. Faced with the global energy crisis, architects and designers imbued their methods with a new ecological awareness. For work to be featured in the magazine it had to offer function, spatial clarity, intellectual persuasion, relevant originality, and/or grace. Those groundbreaking projects and practitioners that made the cut include Shiro Kuramata, Verner Panton, Joe Colombo, Richard Meier, the modernist structures by Foster Associates and the Centre Georges Pompidou by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. domus distilled Seven volumes spanning 1928 to 1999 Over 4,000 pages featuring influential projects by the most important designers and architects Original layouts and all covers, with captions providing navigation and context Introductory essays by renowned architects and designers Each edition comes with an appendix featuring texts translated into English, many of which were previously only available in Italian A comprehensive index in each volume listing both designers’ and manufacturers’ names Trade Review“domus has a rich history of spotting trends and fashions. It elevates icons to classics.” * Bene *

    1 in stock

    £27.00

  • An Encyclopaedia of World Bridges

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd An Encyclopaedia of World Bridges

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisBridges are one of the most important artefacts constructed by man, the structures having had an incalculable effect on the development of trade and civilisation throughout the world. Their construction has led to continuing advances in civil engineering technology, leading to bigger spans and the use of new materials. Their failures, too, whether from an inadequate understanding of engineering principles or as a result of natural catastrophes or warfare, have often caused immense hardship as a result of lost lives or broken communications. In this book, a sister publication to his earlier An Encyclopaedia of British Bridges (Pen & Sword 2019), David McFetrich gives brief descriptions of some 1200 bridges from more than 170 countries around the world. They represent a wide range of different types of structure (such as beam, cantilever, stayed and suspension bridges). Although some of the pictures are of extremely well-known structures, many are not so widely recognisable and a separate section of the book includes more than seventy lists of bridges with distinctly unusual characteristics in their design, usage and history.

    5 in stock

    £28.00

  • Literary Landscapes Paris Embark on a captivating

    HarperCollins Publishers Literary Landscapes Paris Embark on a captivating

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom Voltaire to Verlaine and from Hugo to Hemingway, these are the Paris locations that have influenced modern literature.The book is an elegant photographic stroll around the bookshops, famous literary restaurants and storied streets of Europe's favourite tourist destination.Literary Landscapes: Paris takes this major European city and with picture perfect photography, compiles an album of memorable views linked to the words of Parisian authors, or writers who made Paris their home. It looks at places where books were written, discussed over dinner, and where ultimately the books are sold.There are the theatres of Molière, Dumas and Beaumarchais along with the incredible Palais Garnier opera house and the legend of Le Fantome by Gaston Leroux.There are the revered bookshops of the Latin Quarter including the idiosyncratic Shakespeare & Co.There are the classic grand structures referenced in Victor Hugo novels (and still there) or the mean streets of George Orwell's Down and Out in Pa

    2 in stock

    £17.00

  • Modern Architecture

    Oxford University Press Modern Architecture

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSomewhere between 1910 and 1970, architecture changed. Now that modern architecture has become familiar (sometimes celebrated, sometimes vilified), it''s hard to imagine how novel it once seemed. Expensive buildings were transformed from ornamental fancies which referred to the classical and medieval pasts into strikingly plain reflections of novel materials, functions, and technologies. Modern architecture promised the transformation of cities from overcrowded conurbations characterised by packed slums and dirty industries to spacious realms of generous housing and clean mechanised production set in parkland. At certain times and in certain cultures, it stood for the liberation of the future from the past.This Very Short Introduction explores the technical innovations that opened-up the cultural and intellectual opportunities for modern architecture to happen. Adam Sharr shows how the invention of steel and reinforced concrete radically altered possibilities for shaping buildings, transforming what architects were able to imagine, as did new systems for air conditioning and lighting. While architects weren''t responsible for these innovations, they were among the first to appreciate how they could make the world look and feel different, in connection with imagery from other spheres like modern art and industrial design. Focusing on a selection of modern buildings that also symbolize bigger cultural ideas, Sharr discusses what modern architecture was like, why it was like that, and how it was imagined. Considering the work of some of the historians and critics who helped to shape modern architecture, he demonstrates how the field owes as much to its storytellers as to its buildings.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewAdam Sharr has succeeded in making modern architecture modern again, with this refreshing and original account of the technological revolutions and individual designers that shaped our world from the 1850s to the 1970s. Rather than concentrate on questions and debates over style and ideology, or follow the self-promotional versions of the architects themselves, he has preferred to go to the root of the revolution: the technologies and their innovative utilization. This little book will have an effect far beyond its size, providing more than an introduction for students and the public, and for architects themselves a salutary set of careful worked case studies, from Miess IIT Campus to Rogers and Pianos Centre Pompidou. * Anthony Vidler, Professor of Architecture, The Cooper Union *The great strength of Adam Sharr's book is that it relates modern architecture to wider cultural, philosophical, and technological trends. It is also written in a very accessible style and, despite its brevity, covers a wide territory. * Jeremy Till, Head of Central Saint Martins, Pro Vice-Chancellor University of the Arts London *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Iron and steel 3: Reinforced concrete 4: Brick 5: Light and air 6: Conclusion Further reading Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Whos Buried Where in London

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Whos Buried Where in London

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisLondon''s many cemeteries, churches, and graveyards are the last resting places of a multitude of important people from many different walks of life. Politicians, writers, and military heroes rub shoulders with engineers, courtesans, artists, and musicians, along with quite a few eccentric characters. Arranged geographically, this comprehensive guide describes famous graves in all the major cemeteries and churches in Greater London, including Highgate, Kensal Green, Westminster Abbey, and Saint Paul''s Cathedral, as well as the city churches and many suburban parish churches. The book gives biographical details, information on the monuments, and is richly illustrated. As well as being a historical guide, it also serves as an indispensable reference guide for any budding tombstone tourist.Trade ReviewWho's Buried Where in London is a fascinating guide to who's who in the capital’s many cemeteries, churches and graveyards. Not merely for family history fans who, as we all know, love wandering around cemeteries, it is jam-packed with information on more than 1,000 people laid to rest in London over the centuries, with juicy biographical gems of the kind you may catch yourself relaying to others, and a literal step-by-step guide to where to find their gravestones, memorials or final resting places. * Family Tree Magazine *This is a comprehensive work, and among the thousands of graves and fascinating folk, the hardest task is to choose which to include and which to leave out. Here, as well as many of ‘the usual suspects’ there is much that is new, and we must thank Peter for venturing further afield, guiding us to the outer boroughs where real gems are to be found. * Guide London – Association of Professional Tourist Guides *A must-have for anyone who likes to potter around cemeteries and burial grounds. * Highgate Cemetery Newletter *This new guide to notable graves in the greater London area contains a bonanza of interesting persons… It provides what the cemetery visitor often wants: a selection of top names and instructions for finding their resting places. * Friends of Brompton Cemetery *Table of ContentsIntroduction A Brief History of Burial in London City of London St Paul’s Cathedral City of Westminster Westminster Abbey West London Brompton Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery North London Highgate Cemetery Golders Green Crematorium East London South-East London West Norwood Cemetery South-West London Further Reading Glossary of Terms Index of Names

    2 in stock

    £15.29

  • Exploring Avebury

    The History Press Ltd Exploring Avebury

    Book SynopsisAvebury in Wiltshire is best known as the world’s largest stone circle, but surrounding it is a wealth of ancient monuments. For the first time the importance of water, light and sound is revealed, and we begin to see Avebury through the eyes of those who built it.

    £16.19

  • Napoleonic Britain

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Napoleonic Britain

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn essential guide to the heritage of this tumultuous period in French and British history.

    2 in stock

    £23.80

  • Dunlin Castle; from Fortress to Palace

    Government Publications Dunlin Castle; from Fortress to Palace

    1 in stock

    1 in stock

    £42.75

  • London's Statues and Monuments: Revised Edition

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC London's Statues and Monuments: Revised Edition

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe streets and public spaces of London are rich with statues and monuments commemorating the city’s great figures and events – from Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square and Sir Christopher Wren’s Great Fire Monument to the charming Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens. Executed in stone, bronze and a range of other materials, London’s statues and monuments include work by some of the world’s greatest sculptors. This newly revised book takes account of the many statues erected between 2012 and 2017, including those of Mary Seacole at St Thomas’ Hospital and Amy Winehouse in Camden. London’s Statues and Monuments is a fully illustrated guide to these artworks and their stories: sometimes surprising and occasionally controversial, but always fascinatingTable of ContentsIntroduction Trafalgar Square Whitehall and Horse Guards Parliament Square and Victoria Tower Gardens Victoria Embankment Strand, Aldwych and Holborn The City: West The City: Central The City: East Soho Mayfair and Park Lane St James’s The Mall to Victoria Street Hyde Park Corner Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park Belgravia and Pimlico Kensington Chelsea Paddington and Bayswater Marylebone Bloomsbury, Euston and St Pancras South Bank Southwark Greenwich and Woolwich North London West London South London East London Further Reading Index

    2 in stock

    £16.65

  • The Architecture of British Seaside Piers

    The Crowood Press Ltd The Architecture of British Seaside Piers

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisOf all the architectural delights of British seaside resorts, the most astonishing and idiosyncratic is the seaside pier. Remarkable visual spectacles, piers are architecturally extraordinary in concept and at times outrageous in execution. They brought together the Victorian genius for technological and material innovation, architectural ambition and engineering ingenuity in the search for new designs for leisure (as well as profit) over the sea. This superbly illustrated book explores the history of the design processes leading to the architectural and engineering innovations that have allowed people to walk on water in such diverse and delightful ways. Coverage includes the development of piers into the crowning architectural glory of British seaside resorts; the key people, materials, inventions and technologies in the field, particularly the work of Eugenius Birch, the greatest pier designer; the remarkable diversity of piers ranging from the earliest simple landing stages, through staid promenade piers and the glories of fully-fledged pleasure piers, to the boisterous joys of funfair and amusement piers; the rich variety of architectural styles, including exotic 'Orientalism' and streamlined Modernism and, finally, today's contemporary prospects for renewal and reinvention.Trade ReviewA fact-filled book, full of interesting old photos and drawings and displaying a clear understanding of the technology of piers. -- Kate Judge * Context, Journal of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation *it is crammed with detail and interest, and richly illustrated, including many photographs from the author’s personal collection. It promises to be the definitive work on a fascinating topic. -- Will Wiles RIBA * RIBA *A visually-immersive exploration of the history and the design processes behind the the piers which became the crowning glory of many British seaside resorts. * Beucher Newsletter *This is a beautifully produced book on pier architecture and engineering that is both a fascinating and illuminating read and one highly recommended -- Tim Phillips, Vice-Chairman of the National Piers Society * PIERS magazine of National Piers Society *Excellent … What marks his book out from predecessors is its explicit focus on piers as works of architecture, with the inclusion of construction materials and engineering, the style of pier buildings and their interior decoration. -- Kathryn Ferry - reviewer The Victorian * The Victorian member’s magazine *

    1 in stock

    £24.75

  • Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd 1960s University Buildings

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe 1960s continue to hold an almost mythical place in Western culture, particularly in Britain, where change was widespread and infiltrated many aspects of life. This included architecture, whose role in a modern democracy and the form it should take were hotly debated. This book discusses the architectural thinking of the time through an examination of the design of university buildings. While there were notable buildings being built in other spheres, no other field of architecture provided the opportunity to express those ideas as freely, while also reflecting innovative new thinking about education and society. Somehow, the university buildings of the 1960s seemed to represent the cutting edge of modern architecture in the UK. This book provides the first critical analysis and overview of these buildings, designed by some of the leading British architects of the period including Basil Spence, Leslie Martin, Alison and Peter Smithson, Denys Lasdun, Powell and Moya and James Stirling. By placing the buildings in a wider social, cultural and political context, it examines the combination of circumstances and attitudes that produced results that are equally admired and detested and allows us to understand how we might replicate or avoid them in the future.

    1 in stock

    £44.99

  • Twentieth Century Seaside Architecture

    Batsford Twentieth Century Seaside Architecture

    Book Synopsis A nostalgic exploration of Britain's distinctive and architecturally significant seafront buildings from the 1920s to the new millennium. British seaside resorts enjoyed phenomenal popularity for much of the twentieth century. Told chronologically, this book is the first look at how resort architecture around the UK coast kept pace with changing fashions and the increasing competition of foreign destinations. Using vintage postcard images, Kathryn Ferry showcases the inherent playfulness of seaside architecture as it evolved from interwar classicism, through art deco and international modernism, to Festival of Britain-inspired mid-century style, then later to seafront tower blocks and the artificial beaches of 1970s leisure centres. Featuring a wide range of building types, Twentieth Century Seaside Architecture explores everything from beach huts and bandstands to lidos, piers, theatres, hotels and amusement arcades. As climate change and the soaring cost of living provoke changing attitudes to travel, Britain's seaside has witnessed renewed popularity, making now the perfect time to champion our architectural legacy of domestic tourism. Offering a compelling reassessment, Twentieth Century Seaside Architecture will appeal to fans of architecture and design who love to be beside the sea.

    £22.46

  • Vanishing Stepwells of India

    Merrell Publishers Ltd Vanishing Stepwells of India

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSome of the most stunning architectural structures in India are to be found below ground: these are its stepwells, ancient water stores. Stepwells are unique to India and from around the 3rd century CE were built throughout the country, particularly in the arid western regions. Excavated several stories underground in order to reach the water table, these cavernous spaces not only provided water all year long but also fulfilled other functions; they offered pilgrims and other travelers a respite from the heat, and became places in which villagers could socialize. Stepwell construction evolved so that, by the 11th century, the wells were amazingly complex feats of architecture and engineering.The journalist Victoria Lautman first encountered stepwells three decades ago and now, a seasoned traveller to India, she has devoted several years to documenting these fascinating but largely unknown edifices before they disappear. Of the thousands of stepwells that proliferated across India, most were abandoned as a result of modernization and the depletion of water tables. Often commissioned by royal or wealthy patrons, the wells vary greatly in scale, layout, materials and shape. Those in what is now Gujarat state also served as subterranean Hindu temples that featured columned pavilions and elaborate stone carvings of deities. Islamic wells were generally less flamboyant, but incorporated arched side niches. Today, few stepwells are in use. The majority have been left to silt up, fill with rubbish and crumble into disrepair. Gradually, however, the Indian government and heritage organizations have come to recognize the need to preserve these architectural wonders. In 2014 India's best-known stepwell, the Rani ki Vav in Patan, northern Gujarat, became a UNESCO World Heritage site.In her introduction, Lautman discusses why and where the stepwells were built. She reflects on the reasons they became derelict and considers how the appreciation of stepwells is changing with the work of organizations and individuals who aim to protect and restore them. The main part of the book is arranged in a broadly chronological order, with up to six pages devoted to each of c. 80 stepwells, every one unique in design and engineering. The name, location (including GPS coordinates) and approximate date of each well accompany color photographs and a concise commentary by Lautman on the history and architecture of the well and her experience of visiting it. While many of the stepwells are rather decrepit, their magnificent engineering and great beauty cannot fail to impress.Table of ContentsForewordIntroductionThe StepwellsAcknowledgementsIndex

    1 in stock

    £34.00

  • The Livery Halls of the City of London

    Merrell Publishers Ltd The Livery Halls of the City of London

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFor more than 600 years the Livery Companies have played a leading role in commercial activities and social and political life in the City of London. These trade associations, each representing a particular craft or profession, were originally responsible for controlling, for example, wages and working conditions. As the Companies were established and incorporated by royal charter, largely in the 14th and 15th centuries, they began acquiring and adapting buildings from which to operate. The Companies’ headquarters – the Livery Halls – gradually evolved from large medieval town houses to become an identifiable building type matched in scale and ambition only by the guild houses of northern European mercantile cities and the Venetian scuole. By the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666, there were at least 53 Livery Halls. Of the 40 Halls standing today, half remain on their medieval sites, but all have been rebuilt several times. To give only two examples: there have been six incarnations of Clothworkers’ Hall on Mincing Lane and six Salters’ Halls on three different City sites. This beautiful book is the first major exploration of these architecturally significant yet under-researched buildings. Dr Anya Lucas, who has studied the Halls in depth, provides an introduction and an illustrated history of the buildings that have been lost over the centuries. The Great Fire, in particular, resulted in a period of energetic reconstruction. Companies rebuilt and beautified their Halls in recognition that the image they projected was as crucial as their wealth and regulatory powers. More building activity took place in the 18th and 19th centuries as Halls were required to accommodate new functions. Many of the Restoration Halls did not survive these years, and, where they did, alterations continued apace. Only 3 out of 36 Halls remained untouched after the Blitz of 1940–41, leading to another wave of reconstruction, the buildings being predominantly traditional or neo-Georgian in style. Henry Russell surveys each of the 40 present-day Halls, no two of which share an identical plan. Sited across the City from east to west, they range from the London Proof House, the home of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, on Commercial Road, outside the old City walls, to HSQ Wellington, headquarters of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, moored on the Thames at Victoria Embankment. All existing Livery Halls have been photographed especially for the project by the renowned interiors photographer Andreas von Einsiedel, making this a truly outstanding publication.Table of ContentsForeword by Charles Bowman Preface by the Master of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects Introduction by Anya Lucas Map of the City of London showing extant livery halls The Livery Halls by Henry Russell The Lost Livery Halls by Anya Lucas Gazeteer Acknowledgements Index

    2 in stock

    £38.25

  • Contemporary Creative Spaces for Children

    Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd Contemporary Creative Spaces for Children

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIt is well known that children are naturally drawn to an engaging and fun environment for them to play, learn, and grow. This book showcases 30 creative, immersive, and interactive spaces from around the globe, where designers focus on spectacular interior and architectural designs that help to encourage the child’s creativity and development, tap into their potential, inspire play and social interaction, involve nature, minimise distractions, and promote optimised learning opportunities. Presented throughout with stunning full-colour photography, detailed drawings and diagrams, and important up-to-date perspectives on current and emerging trends for optimal childhood development and safety standards when designing spaces for children, Contemporary Creative Spaces for Children is a must-have title for all interior designers, architects, child educators, and owners and operators who are interested in effectively shaping designs of children’s spaces that focus on the health and wellbeing of the child.Table of ContentsIntroduction Cases studies Index

    1 in stock

    £31.50

  • The Library An Open Book

    Hirmer Verlag The Library An Open Book

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisCelebrating Herzog & de Meuron's iconic new National Library of Israel, this book takes the reader on a journey that transcends stone and mortar to explore the importance of libraries in our fastpaced Digital Age. The book features original short stories, paintings, photographs and comics by some of the world's leading authors and artists. This volume celebrates the culmination of a visionary 30 year project to renew the National Library of Israel led by Yad Hanadiv the Rothschild Foundation: Herzog & de Meuron's architectural icon in the heart of Jerusalem. It invites readers to think of the library as a public space, as an object, a concept and a spiritual entity. The book includes original stories by leading authors from Israel and abroad, artwork by Zoya Cherkassky, photographs by three outstanding Israeli photographers and a graphic novella by Rutu Modan. Published in conjunction with: the opening of the National Library of Israel, designed by Herzog & de Meuron

    2 in stock

    £41.60

  • The Office of Good Intentions. Human(s) Work

    Taschen GmbH The Office of Good Intentions. Human(s) Work

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisImmerse yourself with architects Florian Idenburg and LeeAnn Suen as they journey through a wide-ranging collection of the objects, systems, and buildings that have occupied the American office space since the advent of the internet. Through stories and speculations, Idenburg and Suen expose the relationships between space, work, and people, and explore the intentions that have driven the development of office design for working humans. In twelve essays, this book examines the spatial typologies and global phenomena that have defined the office in the last half century. Topics include the return of the work club, the rise of the corporate festival, the way of the charismatic guru, the shattering of the time clock, and the design of playgrounds for work. We cycle through Frank O. Gehry’s radical, playful spaces for digital nomads in the advertising world, stagger under the weight of stacks of punch cards, feel the fit of our bodies in the Aeron Chair, answer the phone in Hugh Hefner’s bed, and scroll through Lil Miquela's feed. Photographic essays by Iwan Baan provide a visual post-occupancy report on a range of canonical office projects, such as Marcel Breuer’s IBM campus in Florida and the Ford Foundation’s urban garden in Manhattan. Four intervening catalogs offer collections of experimental workplace products, augural advertisements for office building components, digital office components, and renderings of speculative workplaces; each catalog bridges the reality of the office and how we imagine its alternatives. This book is a theoretical backdrop for architects as much as it is for businesspeople and employees. With curiosity and skepticism, it looks at the spaces and solutions that have been designed for human work, tracing the transformation from work to occupation, from punch cards to “playbor,” from today’s lived experience to tomorrow’s unpredictable, imagined futures.Trade Review“A nostalgic look at when architects tried to make the office better.” * ARCHITECT Magazine *“A fascinating analysis of the way design shapes the relationships between space, work and people.” * ELLE Decoration *“The authors of The Office of Good Intentions do not purport to offer a solution to our collective office woes. Instead, Idenburg and Suen have put together an expansive survey of attempts to bring technology, space, and social organization into harmonious alignment, with varying degrees of more-or-less short-lived success.” * The Architect’s Newspaper *“The Office of Good Intentions… examines how the evolution of offices changes us, the people who work in them.” * The Financial Times *“…architects Florian Idenburg and LeeAnn Suen take a trip through the history of American office design. As the ‘good intentions’ of the title suggests, they are interested in utopianism – both architectural and tech – and its inevitable corruption.” * ArtReview *“At a moment when many are reevaluating how offices influence workers’ happiness, productivity and well-being (choose your own order), architects and designers LeeAnn Suen and Florian Idenburg have put together a series of essays and criticism examining five decades of workplace design.” * Bloomberg.com *“…dive into some of the world’s most fascinating offices.” * architecturaldigest.com *“The Office of Good Intentions explores how design and technology have transformed how and where we work through a wide and diverse collection of groundbreaking offices.” * Metropolis *“This book is not an architectural history. It moves with a critical eye through hushed offices and frenzied laboratories, dusty outlaw areas and well-lit influencer stage sets; it rifles through Steve Jobs’s closet and peers into Andy Warhol’s Factory. It is looking for work and finding it everywhere.” * Florian Idenburg & LeeAnn Suen *

    2 in stock

    £37.50

  • American Icons

    Die Gestalten Verlag American Icons

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £41.25

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