The Neo Classical Town

"In addition to Athens, many cities and towns throughout Greece followed the same architectural trend, expressed in the form of either Neoclassicism or late historicism. The urban landscape that emerged in Greece through the early twentieth century includes buildings that are remarkable both architecturally and artistically. Today, they attract an intense and growing interest."--Jacket.

Neoclassical towns cannot be identified with a specific form of town planning in Greece. They are neoclassical because they were designed and built during a particular period of history (1830-1920) in which neoclassical architecture predominated. The neoclassical town is, at bottom, a new situation, a new way of life - it is the clear expression of the modern spirit in the 19th century. It represents, that is, Europeanisation and progress as applied to the urban environment. This lavishly illustrated book is based on research and photography in the field, and on an extensive study of the relevant sources, from 19th-century monographs. It contains a selection of neoclassical towns from all over Greece: those that are promoted as 'neoclassical cities' (Athens, Patra, Nafplio and Ermoupoli), others that are known as 'historical centres', in which neoclassical features are combined with traditional traces (Symi and Pilion) and, finally, towns in areas that were integrated into Greece at a late date (Chania, Volos, Ioannina, Thessaloniki and Kavala). The taking of the photographs proved to be a laborious task; a large part of the neoclassical nuclei of the Greek towns has been rebuilt and is now occupied by apartment blocks. This means that the archive material assembled here has an added historical value: it records much that may no longer exist tomorrow.

A first-class work of reference that will be both an essential resource for independent study as well as a useful aid in teaching: a solid but also provocative starting point for wider exploration of the city.

When considering the successful design of cities, the focus tends to be on famous examples such as Paris or Rome, with equally successful but smaller and more remote examples being ignored. In addition, the more diffuse patterns of settlement of the north and western parts of Europe are hardly considered at all in comparison to the tightly formed urban centres of the Mediterranean. However, the diffuse town/region is typical of our time, whatever the location. By analysing the development of a successful small city of ancient foundation which grew from a diffuse long settled and dense landscape, then demonstrated a slow growth as a tight urban form before an early adoption of the designed landscape as "town" lessons can be learned. These lessons may be useful in addressing the nature and growth of any city or city/region. The story of Aberdeen is just such an example. Not only are the materials for its long history present, its relations and concerns with the wider world are also well attested, and many of the ideas which directed or significantly impinged on the design of cities were tested there, or had their origin there. As its form accumulated and developed over such a long time Aberdeen also suggests the idea of an architecture of the city. This book examines the development and design of a city from three inescapable aspects: its location and character of the landscape; its own particular history of development; and its cultural responses to various waves of thought.

During the second half of the eighteenth century British architecture moved away from the dominant school of classicism in favour of a more creative freedom of expression. At the forefront of this change were architect brothers Robert and James Adam. Kondo’s work places them within the context of eighteenth-century intellectual thought.

This book provides a unique and comprehensive review of the making and re-making of Edinburgh over most of the last millennium. A series of themes of wide relevance are explored and discussed in the context of their impact upon the form of the city and its success as a capital. These include:*The European influence on urban and architectural form.*The synthesis of architecture, landscape and topography.*The dialogue between conservation and innovation.*The search for social, economic and cultural sustainability.*The role of governance and public action in urban ecology.A special feature of the book is the way the Old and New Towns are discussed as a connected problem of image and politics, rather than two isolated events in the history of the city. Likewise, the relations between the city centre, the suburban edge and beyond throughout the 20th century are examined holistically, allowing the reader to gain a broader perspective both of the city of today and of the future. What emerges is a city unique - at least in the UK - in terms of the care taken over its image and sense of identity, and the political and institutional investment made in preserving this.Key Features:*Deals with the development of the city in a holistic manner.*Relates the physical evolution of the city to wide social, cultural, economic and political movements in the UK and Europe.*Uses design, conservation, sustainability and governance as major structuring themes.*Presents fresh perspectives on the making and re-making of Edinburgh over a period of nearly 1,000 years.