Place-Making

The Art of Capability Brown

By John Phibbs | Publisher: Historic England

About the book

Lancelot 'Capability' Brown  76783  is the iconic figure at the head of the English landscape style  a tradition that has dominated landscape design in the western world  He was widely acclaimed for his genius in his own day and his influence on the culture of England has arguably been as great as that of Turner  Telford and Wordsworth  Yet  although Brown has had his biographers  his work has generated very little analysis  Brown was prolific; he has had a direct influence on half a million acres of England and Wales  The astonishing scale of his work means that he did not just transform the English countryside  but also our idea of what it is to be English and what England is  His work is everywhere  but goes largely unnoticed  His was such a naturalistic style that all his best work was mistaken for untouched nature  This has made it very difficult to see and understand  Visitors to Brown landscapes do not question the eistence of the parkland he created and there has been little professional or academic analysis of his work  This book for the first time looks at the motivation behind Brown's landscapes and questions their value and structure whilst at the same time placing him within the English landscape tradition  It aims primarily to make landscape legible  to show people where to stand  what to look at and how to see

Editions of Place-Making

Hardcover
ISBN 9781848023567

Read an Excerpt

Lancelot 'Capability' Brown  76783  is the iconic figure at the head of the English landscape style  a tradition that has dominated landscape design in the western world  He was widely acclaimed for his genius in his own day and his influence on the culture of England has arguably been as great as that of Turner  Telford and Wordsworth  Yet  although Brown has had his biographers  his work has generated very little analysis  Brown was prolific; he has had a direct influence on half a million acres of England and Wales  The astonishing scale of his work means that he did not just transform the English countryside  but also our idea of what it is to be English and what England is  His work is everywhere  but goes largely unnoticed  His was such a naturalistic style that all his best work was mistaken for untouched nature  This has made it very difficult to see and understand  Visitors to Brown landscapes do not question the eistence of the parkland he created and there has been little professional or academic analysis of his work  This book for the first time looks at the motivation behind Brown's landscapes and questions their value and structure whilst at the same time placing him within the English landscape tradition  It aims primarily to make landscape legible  to show people where to stand  what to look at and how to see

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Place-Making about?

Lancelot 'Capability' Brown  76783  is the iconic figure at the head of the English landscape style  a tradition that has dominated landscape design in the western world  He was widely acclaimed for his genius in his own day and his influence on the culture of England has arguably been as great as that of Turner  Telford and Wordsworth  Yet  although Brown has had his biographers  his work has generated very little analysis  Brown was prolific; he has had a direct influence on half a million acres of England and Wales  The astonishing scale of his work means that he did not just transform the English countryside  but also our idea of what it is to be English and what England is  His work is everywhere  but goes largely unnoticed  His was such a naturalistic style that all his best work was mistaken for untouched nature  This has made it very difficult to see and understand  Visitors to Brown landscapes do not question the eistence of the parkland he created and there has been little professional or academic analysis of his work  This book for the first time looks at the motivation behind Brown's landscapes and questions their value and structure whilst at the same time placing him within the English landscape tradition  It aims primarily to make landscape legible  to show people where to stand  what to look at and how to see

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Place-Making?

Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure > Gardening > Gardens (descriptions, history etc)

Where can I read a sample of Place-Making?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781848023567

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Place-Making?

John Phibbs

Who is the Publisher of the book Place-Making?

Historic England

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Place-Making is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781848023567)

Is there a video of the book?

Watch a video about Place-Making here