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The London Square

The London Square

Gardens in the Midst of Town

by Todd Longstaffe-Gowan

348 Pages, 9.50 x 11.00 in, 88 color + 202 b-w illus.

Hardcover
9780300152012
Published: Tuesday, 10 Jul 2012

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Description
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Modern-day London abounds with a multitude of gardens, enclosed by railings and surrounded by houses, which attest to the English love of nature. These green enclaves, known as squares, are among the most distinctive and admired features of the metropolis and are England's greatest contribution to the development of European town planning and urban form. Traditionally, inhabitants who overlooked these gated communal gardens paid for their maintenance and had special access to them. As such, they have long been synonymous with privilege, elegance, and prosperous metropolitan living. They epitomize the classical notion of rus in urbe, the integration of nature within the urban plan—a concept that continues to shape cities to this day.

Todd Longstaffe-Gowan delves into the history, evolution, and social implications of squares, which have been an important element in the planning and expansion of London since the early 17th century. As an amenity that fosters health and well-being and a connection to the natural world, the square has played a crucial role in the development of the English capital.

Todd Longstaffe-Gowan is a landscape architect with an international practice based in London. He is gardens adviser to Hampton Court Palace and is currently redesigning the gardens of Kensington Palace in London.

“Very accessible and entertaining. . . . This exploration of the special world of these often private, sheltered spaces within an urban area may make the reader long to have just such a retreat.”—Joan Richards, Current Books on Gardening and Botany (Chicago Botanic Garden)
~Joan Richards, Current Books on Gardening and Botany (Chicago Botanic Garden)

Winner of the 2013 John Brinckerhoff Jackson Book Prize, given by the Foundation for Landscape Studies.
~2013 John Brinckerhoff Jackson Book Prize, Foundation for Landscape Studies

Shortlisted for the 2013 William MC Berger Prize for British Art History.
~William MB Berger Prize, William MB Berger

Shortlisted for the 2014 Art Book Prize given by the Authors’ Club and supported by The Art Newspaper. The Art Book Prize is awarded annually to the best book on art or architecture.
~Art Book Prize, The Authors' Club

The London Square

Gardens in the Midst of Town

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