“Changing the Commons reveals fresh thinking and a strong philosophical grounding in what makes a successful place; it is destined to be a seminal work on the art of placemaking.” — Emily H. Axelrod, Former Director at Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence
“The design of the book and the inclusion of excellent photographs, maps, and landscape plans are all outstanding. It is a tribute to his work and a gift not only to his grandchildren, but to all of us who enjoy the ’Commons’.” — Joe McBride, Emeritus Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the University of California at Berkeley
The intense social and environmental fervour that arose in the 1960s and 1970s in response to assaults on the planet’s life support systems, degradation of communities, and socio-economic inequality unleashed revolutionary change at all levels of society. Out of the turmoil of that era, community-based ecological design emerged as a powerful creative force for reshaping the commons, bringing people together, and forming ecologically sustainable relationships with the environment. The stories in this book reveal how the revolution has played out in reconceiving public places in the landscape of every-day life in northern California. The text focuses on the broad human, social, environmental, and cultural aspects of place-making to create liveable, inclusive, sustainable, and treasured spaces. The aesthetic experience of each place is revealed through photos, diagrams, sketches, and plans. Success stories like these offer hope, so sorely needed, for dealing with the seemingly insurmountable current assaults on earth’s life support systems.

This alternative guidebook is travel writer Ellie Walker-Arnott’s personal ode to her stunning and always intriguing home country. She takes you off the beaten track to hundreds of curious and unexpected places and reveals hidden places that tell an interesting story and will make you marvel. The book covers an eclectic range of alluring themes such as seaside secrets, historic spas, modernist architecture, adrenaline adventures, chocolate-box villages, sleepovers in incredible buildings and many more.

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Seattle reveals 500 off-the-beaten-track places and interesting details for anyone who’s keen to explore Seattle’s best-kept secrets, e.g. 5 great places for seafood, 5 places to satisfy your sweet tooth, 5 great LGBTQ+ bars, the 5 best views in the city, 5 quirky buildings and structures, 5 swimming spots for hot days, 5 great birding spots… and much more.

“In this abridged extract from Don’t Be A Tourist In London, Vanessa Grall suggests a few places to start a conversation in London… and one place to go and listen.” — Londonist

“Discover the capital’s secret spots with Vanessa Grall’s new book.” — Country and Town House

“The cliché says that when one is tired of London, one is tired of life – but I think this book might help some to rediscover the joys of both… there’s probably enough here to keep you going for things to explore for the next decade.” — Amateur Photographer

“This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveller’s companion as much as a beautifully designed collectable for your bookshelf.” — Polo Lifestlye
Discover the secret recipe for becoming an artful traveller in a messy world.

Don’t be a Tourist in London offers an escape route from the typical tourist itinerary to the British capital, unlocking a vault of thoughtfully-curated itineraries, local secrets, insider advice and little-known urban anecdotes.

For the third instalment of the best-selling Don’t be a Tourist series, the author takes us to her hometown to rediscover the personal joy of travel, following our instincts – not the tour buses. Each episode’s journey has its own mood, inspired by different traveller mindsets shaped by life’s relatable challenges and familiar emotions like heartbreak, career hurdles or strong personality quirks.

This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveller’s companion as much as a beautifully-designed collectable for your bookshelf. Within the pages of this beautifully bound hardback, you will find…

Secret Restaurants; Time Capsule Pubs; Cosy Hideaways & Unique Date Ideas; Unexpected alternatives to major museums; Film-worthy Walks & Quaint neighbourhood Discoveries; Hip London Hangouts; Aladdin’s Caves & booklover Havens; Places to be creative; Obscure/ Underground Adventures; Places to entertain the kids (or the kid in you!); Budget-friendly life-savers; Endless good-to-know advice and fascinating anecdotes.

This Boston guide is the newest addition to the internationally successful series The 500 Hidden Secrets. Like the other city guides in the series, it contains 500 places to visit or things to know. All of them are addresses or activities the author, savvy Boston local Natalia Ivanytsky, would recommend to friends visiting her hometown. A new feature are the two city walks included in the book, leading past a selection of the 500 secrets: a great way for first-time visitors to get to know the city.

This bulky selection of Boston tips is based only on the author’s personal opinions after thorough research: Natalia wandered through the many Boston streets and neighbourhoods accompanied by her dog, looking for the best places to eat, drink, shop, visit, dive into the cultural scene… She drank and ate her way through the best brunch spots, cocktail bars, and restaurants with family and friends, looking for the five best on-the-go sandwiches, the five tastiest street food trucks, the nicest shops for New England-inspired home décor or five urban oasis garden escapes. She also tells you which unofficial stops along the Freedom Trail are worthwhile, or where to find cool outdoor art installations. Her aim is to showcase Boston’s strong culture beyond sports and history, and to help you discover new, unexplored places.

Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Chicago, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Seattle, The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Tokyo, and many more. Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

Today, designers, researchers, and scholars must responsibly engage the entangled networks and delineated systems far beyond boundaries of typical design practice to engage in thoughtful critique of the past and consider counter-imaginations of the future. Our discussion of the unseen begins first with an understanding of the power of sight. A look back at the technologies of control implicated in documenting the world reveals the closely intertwined evolution of imperial occupation and technological progress. Constructing Invisibility continues the exchanges initiated during the first symposium and builds upon the diversity of knowledge shared. The late French philosopher Bruno Latour reminds us that “politics has always been oriented toward objects, stakes, situations, material entities, bodies, landscapes, places. This is in effect the decisive discovery of political ecology: it is an object-oriented politics. Change the territories and you will also change the attitudes.” This issue uses these economies, landscapes, and places, including the boundless corporations and destructive climate realities, to better see the world. Further, the collection of essays seeks to understand how the construction of such sight impacts civilian occupation in the remaining world. Illuminating stories and places has become the aim of this volume, and shedding light on distant territories has become confounded by extremity, complexity, disparity, and secrecy.

This book does not view golf as a competition, but as a cultural phenomenon. Its focus is on the places, spaces, and structures that shape the game: landscapes with a distinct character, courses with architectural logic, and rituals that have evolved over decades. This book is intended for those who do not want to learn golf, but to understand it. In carefully curated chapters, the volume traces the game from its origins — at places such as the Old Course at St Andrews, Prestwick, and Royal Dornoch — to iconic courses like Augusta National and Pinehurst No. 2, and on to lesser-known favorites cherished by connoisseurs. The perspectives of golf professionals are complemented by insights into golf travel and places where the game can be experienced in a particularly distinctive way, as well as by chapters on etiquette and the unwritten rules that have always shaped golf.

Meet 50 women, from queens and politicians to explorers and sports figures, who changed the world. These 50 women pursued their ambitions and achieved their dreams – even when the world tried to tell them they shouldn’t. They enjoyed successes and triumphs, dealt with tragedies and ordeals, and lived lives as thrilling and moving as a great novel. Ranging from artists, designers, and actresses to entrepreneurs, scientists, and activists, the women include Maria Montessori, Amelia Earhart, Coco Chanel, Simone de Beauvoir, Rosa Parks, Eva Peron, Josephine Baker, Jane Goodall, and Malala Yousafzai.

In this collection of photographs taken in over 36 countries, Christer Löfgren explores the international art of graffiti and wall paintings. From his base in Stockholm, Sweden, Löfgren travels to places where street art can be found, including places like the Antarctic, Greenland, and Svalbard, where you may not expect to see it. The book addresses the current duality of opinion about street art: it is still viewed as a criminal act in many places, and yet at the same time it is accepted as a valid and important art form. It crosses boundaries to unite communities all around the world. Organised in two sections, the first section of this book explores the methods and motivations behind the work, while the second section focuses on street art in specific countries around the world.

Our Voices II: The DE-colonial Project will showcase decolonising projects which work to de-stable and disquiet colonial built environments. The land, towns, and cities on which we live have always been Indigenous places yet, for the most part our Indigenous value sets and identities have been disregarded or appropriated. Indigenous people continue to be gentrified out of the places to which they belong and neo-liberal systems work to continuously subjugate Indigenous involvement in decision-making processes in subtle, but potent ways. However, we are not, and have never been cultural dopes. Rather, we have, and continue to subvert the colonial value sets that overlay our places in important ways.

For more than 20 years, photographic artist Tobias Madörin has been working on his series Topos. Metropolises like Barcelona and São Paulo, a Swiss mountain resort like Grindelwald, or foreign countries like Uganda, Indonesia and Japan: with his large scale images he explores dwellings and landscapes. Madörin creates tableaux, similar to 19th-century painters. His particular interests are places where people gather, places on the outskirts of cities along arterial roads, waste disposal sites, or areas changed and scarred by agriculture and mining. He understands such places as products of human visions and ideals, but also as result of exploitation and greed, as sites of fight for survival. Tobias Madörin – Topos is the first monographic book on Madörin’s work, presenting his most important pictures from twenty years. An essay by the journalist and art critic Nadine Olonetzky comments Madörin’s oeuvre and puts it in context of contemporary photography and the history of representing landscapes and cities. Text in English & German.

In this ode to the charms of Paris and Parisian style, Belgian photographer Henk van Cauwenbergh captures the essence of the city’s most iconic venues and its perennially chic denizens. He seeks out the culinary hotspots of Paris and turns his camera on the places to see and be seen. Inspired by the microcosm of Saint-Germain, his Paris is imbued with the spirit of the places where people gather: the casual efficiency of waiters at Les Deux Magots and the Café de Flore, the boisterous atmosphere of Brasserie Lipp. Long influenced by urban and innate style of Serge Gainsbourg, Charles Aznavour, Catherine Deneuve, and Jeanne Moreau, van Cauwenbergh’s Paris is one of seduction and nonchalance, of beautiful women, and the heady emotions of first love.

The Eiffel Tower in China? Sebastian Acker: Traces of Other Places unites photos, film stills, and notes from an often surreal-looking journey undertaken by the Berlin-based artist Sebastian Acker (*1981) and his collaborator, Phil Thompson, through China’s copy-laden landscape, where not only have they erected sections of European cities, but also built a replica of an entire Austrian village. Simultaneously contemporary and anachronistic, the pictures in the book resist simple definitions of authenticity and imitation, not only by examining the theme of the reality experienced in the replicas, but also by shedding light on the tourism industry’s performative promotion of the European originals.

Text in English and German.

Where are the best places in Copenhagen to experience New Nordic cuisine? What are the best places to shop for Scandinavian furniture, fashion, and design? What are the best spots for natural wine? Where can you find the best nature trails and waterfront walks? Where are the city’s small, independent cinemas? Which museums are best to visit on a rainy Danish day? What is smørrebrød and where can I try it? What is Copenhagen’s best artisanal coffee? The 500 Hidden Secrets of Copenhagen reveals the answers to these (and many other) questions. Discover a diverse range of under-the-radar, yet outstanding addresses that will allow you to explore the best of the city away from the typical tourist crowds. This is a book for visitors who want to avoid the usual tourist spots and for residents who are keen to track down the city’s best-kept secrets.
Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Stockholm, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Hamburg, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Munich, The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Berlin, The 500 Hidden Secrets of London and many more. Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

In Search for Meaning is the first published book by artist-photographer Felisa Tan. This striking collection covers most of her major work for the past 15 years, many of which were never published before. Consisting of 72 photographs exquisitely made and sequenced by Felisa herself, unveiling spellbinding and strange mundane subjects from her extensive travels and light experimentations at home, she has created a record of the way she experiences the world after undergoing more than a decade of evolution as an artist and human being.

Felisa’s photographs reflect honest, clear observation, and an intricate and layered way of seeing, as she watches life unfold itself before her eyes. Her exceptionally loaded ways of looking at the world are reflected in her handling of space, composition, synchronised colours, shapes, and framing, and rather imperfect subjects and places. Common things — graffiti, carnivals, twilight, lonely scenes, and empty spaces — are all transformed by her subtle luminous vision into an extraordinary teacher, filled with ageless Presence and wisdom. The consistency of her proclivity towards certain kinds of places and moments of time, and deep insightful rendering of these moments, present us with an extension of her present tense, reading of meaning, and judgment of what might be of timeless importance to the readers in every phase of their lives. Furthermore, with her ability to grasp the little details that come her way as both an individual and a representative of a larger human and universal context, this rich compendium of images in both natural and human settings transport the viewer into the heart of childlike wonder and a lush infinite Universe.

“If you really want to get under the skin of a city, the 500 Hidden Secrets series, which covers a number of cities from Havana to Ghent, all written by people who know the cities inside out, is ideal. It’s an innovative and refreshing take on the traditional travel guide.”– The Independent

For tourists who want to avoid the well-known tourist spots and discover the locals’ favourite addresses, and for residents who want to get to know their city even better. Written by born and bred Amsterdammers, the book includes lists such as the 5 best secondhand markets, the 5 most inspiring museums and the 5 best places to listen to live music, with a total 500 addresses and facts that few people know. Includes extensive maps and a comprehensive index. 

With this new guide in your bag, you’re set to go out and discover the best and most fun places in hotspot Miami: 500 addresses that many tourists don’t know, a bit off the beaten track, but always loved by the locals and worth a visit. The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami will take you to all the places that make Miami the lively and unique city it is, also known as the ‘Gateway to the Caribbean’, such as: the 5 nicest water views, 5 stunning Mediterranean revival buildings, 5 renowned Miami-based fashion designers, the 5 coolest hotel pools, and 5 wonderful parks, playgrounds, and museums to visit with your kids. It even includes some unusual experiences, such as swimming in a freshwater Venetian pool, or day trips to the Everglades and the Keys.

In 2015, David Pollock began a series of drawings on his sketchbooks and photographs from 30 years of travelling. This book includes these studio paintings, as well as images from the sketchbooks, depicting people and places in the Balkans, Botswana, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Peru, Italy, Scotland, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

In The 500 Hidden Secrets of Stockholm Antonia af Petersens shares 500 must-visit places in her hometown, as well as good-to-know facts. The aim of this book is to get you started on discovering the best of Stockholm behind its idyllic, water-surrounded façade. Overrated tourist fodders have been left out in favour of tucked-away finds that will surprise both foreign visitors and savvy residents. Expect to discover quirky details and interesting facts about famous places and timeless favourites to learn about the secret gems where you can imbibe the genuine atmosphere of Stockholm.

Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Berlin, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Copenhagen, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Brussels, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Amsterdam, and many more. Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

If you’re lucky enough to have lived near a mountain, you know its magnetic energy and how its profile becomes a familiar part of your daily back drop – one that transmits peace as you go about your busy day. There are peaks of disarming beauty in this world; ones that will take your breath away for their aesthetic alone, but also for their story, their history, and their spirituality. These are those stories; these are those wonderful peaks.

Mountain peaks included: DENALI, Alaska, USA; MAUNA LOA, Hawaii, USA; HALF DOME, California, USA; RORAIMA, Venezuela/Brazil/Guyana; ALPAMAYO, Peru; HUAYNA PICCHU, Peru; LICANCABUR, Chile/Bolivia; CERRO TORRE, Argentina/Chile; KIRKJUFELL, Iceland; MONT BLANC, France/Italy; MATTERHORN, Italy/Switzerland; THE CIME DI LAVAREDO, Italy; KILIMANJARO, Tanzania; TABLE MOUNTAIN, South Africa; ARARAT, Turkey; DAMĀVAND, Iran; NANGA PARBAT, Pakistan; LAILA PEAK, Pakistan; K2, Pakistan/China; KAILASH, China; EVEREST, Nepal/China; AMA DABLAM, Nepal; FUJI, Japan; ULURU, Australia.

“If you really want to get under the skin of a city, the 500 Hidden Secrets series, which covers a number of cities from Chicago to Ghent, all written by people who know the cities inside out, is ideal. It’s an innovative and refreshing take on the traditional travel guide.”- The Independent

What are the 5 restaurants for new Flemish cooking? Where would you find the 5 best antique shops? Where can you find the most unexpected view of Ghent? Where are the cool coffee bars that play the best music? And if you wanted to find the most mysterious places in the Citadelpark, where are they? The 500 Hidden Secrets of Ghent is a wonderfully eclectic guide to this multifaceted city. An insider’s view of Ghent featuring little known facts and snippets of useful information, presenting the quirky and the off-beat, and sharing the whereabouts of some of the city’s wonderful hidden gems like the Hotel d’Hane-Steenhuyse and the Gruut City Brewery.

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Ghent offers a practical guide to Ghent’s finest places, and Derek Blyth covers all bases to ensure no visitor to the city is ever anything short of captivated. Packed with accessible, easy-to-read information summarised in handy lists, maps, itineraries, sections on food & drink, accommodation, green spaces, museums, galleries and shops; this guide is an essential resource for the inquisitive traveller.

Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of London, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Dublin, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Lisbon, and many more. Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

These pages tell the story without words of a journey through Spain in which the author, the photographer Fernando Manso, visited unknown and hidden corners and captured them on the plates of his large-format camera. From the remotest parts of Galicia to those of Almería, he passed through coasts, deserts and mountains, stopping at old churches, ghostly castles or majestic cathedrals, in forests and gorges, at natural pools and salt mines, and at cemeteries, Arab baths and hermitages carved out of the rock.

Fernando has made the light of these places into the leading figure of his journey. His is a different light, as he has relinquished blue skies and brilliant sunshine, often the stuff of clichés, to make way for visions of places that appear to us with such intimate truth that even if we know them, we can barely recognise them. This is thanks to his technique, his art and the patience with which he waits for the light.

Fernando’s luxury is being able to use all the time in the world to draw us into an artistic heritage that is sometimes secret and hard to reach, and which the viewer has to know how to see. He reveals these places, often in danger of disappearing, after detailed investigation. Both architecture and landscape – for he knows that natural scenery is also a major patrimony that has to be affectionately preserved and protected from speculation – belong to all of us, and we are responsible for their care. We must be aware of this.

The result of that trip is this publication, with beautiful images in reproductions of exceptional quality that present us with a vision of Spain in a different light.