The Karoo is big sky country; a land of vast plains punctuated by flat-topped mountains, conical hills and secluded valleys, a land of scrubby bushes and hardy trees, where pioneers carved roads out of rock to set down roots in an unforgiving environment.

Here dreams are born, legends are made, and outcasts find sanctuary. It is also an ancient place, whose story is revealed through geology, fossils and artefacts, and whose human lineage predates any written history. Today, the people who inhabit it must manifest the same fortitude that sustained those who left their footprints in the primieval mud.

In Hidden Karoo you will find all this, and more. Through a series of superb photo-essays, this majestic place is revealed as a land where conservation and neglect are seldom far apart, where one town boasts splendidly restored buildings, while along a dusty road lie forgotten villages waiting for... something. Could it be a renewal, or a slow death? There’s nothing novel about the movement of people from country to city, and the Karoo mimics other parts of the world where rural areas become derelict as they are depopulated.

Hidden Karoo presents a snapshot of the region, offering a glimpse into towns and villages, farms and churches, public buildings and private homes, all against a backdrop of awe-inspiring landscapes. Through words and pictures, it prompts us to consider what was, what is and, perhaps, what might be. One constant about the Karoo is change. A book can do no more than capture a moment in time or depict fragments of a place, but in doing so, it bears witness to the past and offers the hope that there may yet be a future for this unparalleled part of our country.

Once the center of agricultural prosperity in Alabama, the rich soil of the Black Belt still features beautiful homes that stand as a testimony to the region's proud heritage. Join author Jennifer Hale as she explores the history of seventeen of the finest plantation homes in Alabama's Black Belt. This book chronicles the original owners and slaves of the homes and traces their descendants, who have continued to call these plantations home throughout the past two centuries. Discover why the families of an Indian chief and a chief justice feuded for over a century about the land on which Belvoir stands. Follow Gaineswood's progress as it grew from a humble log cabin into an opulent mansion. Learn how the original builder and subsequent owners of the Kirkwood Mansion are linked by a legacy of exceptional and dedicated preservation. "Historic Plantations of Alabama's Black Belt" recounts the elegant past and hopeful future of a well-loved region of the South.

The illustrated biography of a Scottish country house, set beside the River Clyde, and of the people who made it their home over the past 850 years Written by four brothers, their sister and the eldest member of the next generation, Finlaystone offers an insidersa view of the house, its beautiful gardens and the surrounding estate. They tell about the lives of its former owners, many of whom played prominent roles in Scottish military, political, religious and cultural affairs. As Scotland moved forward from centuries of feuds between large feudal landowners to the reformation, the age of enlightenment and the industrial revolution, the building evolved from a fortress to a modest but attractive family home in 1746. Its present form as an imposing late Victorian mansion dates from when it was modernised and extended in 1900 by George Jardine Kidston, the great-grandfather of the older authors, who had grown wealthy from running one of the worlda s earliest steamship companies. In its hey-day, Finlaystone was managed for the comfort and leisure of its owners by a bevy of household servants living in a wing of the house, and by an army of workers, including gardeners, foresters, game-keepers, joiners and a laundry-maid. The prosperity that had made such a lavish life possible, however, soon started to decline, with George Kidstona s death in 1909, followed just 5 years later by war, the economic depression in the 1930s, and then World War II. Unlike many other large country houses, Finlaystone remains a family home, kept afloat largely by the hard work and adaptability of the members of the family who reflect in this book on the joys and travails that this implied.

The rugged beauty of the Cape's landscape has been captured in writing since the days of Henry David Thoreau. Yet few mention the area's architecture, aside from references to the "Cape Cod houses," the basic cottages that the earliest settlers built. From Provincetown at the northern tip to the village of Woods Hole at the opposite end, the residential architecture of Cape Cod encompasses an extensive range of styles. Scattered among the charming Capes are stately Federals and Greek Revivals built for sea captains, detailed Carpenter Gothic cottages constructed by Methodist camp-goers and sprawling Victorian and Shingle-style summer mansions built during the Gilded Age. Journey with Cape Cod native Jaci Conry as she reveals the architectural influences of different eras on this timeless peninsula.

Encouraging older people to age in place in their own homes is a common response internationally to the economic and social demands of population ageing. It is recognized that the nature of the built environment at various scales is critical to optimizing the social participation and wellbeing of older people and hence in facilitating ageing in place. This insightful book showcases a range of design, planning and policy responses to ageing populations from across the rapidly changing and dynamic Western Asia-Pacific region. Ageing in Place considers diverse cultural, political and environmental contexts and responses to show that regional governments, industries and communities can gain, as well as offer, important insights from their international counterparts. With significant changes in caring, family dynamics and the supporting roles of governments in both Eastern and Western societies, the chapters demonstrate a clear and increasingly convergent preference for and promotion of ageing in place and the need for collaborative efforts to facilitate this through policy and practice. The unique geographical focus and multi-disciplinary perspective of this book will greatly benefit academic researchers and students from a variety of backgrounds including architecture, urban planning, sociology and human geography. It also provides a unique entry point for practitioners seeking to understand the principles of design and practice for ageing in place in homes, neighbourhoods and care facilities.

The Victorian architecture of San Francisco is known the world over for its distinctive look and charm. More than 200 color images show broadshot views of homes tightly stacked together along steep streets, as well as close-ups of details. The text provides a historic background of the architecture that has helped characterize San Francisco as one of the world's most beautiful cities. Styles featured include Italianate, Queen Anne, Eastlake/Stick, and Victorian.

Victor, Colorado -- the City of Mines - came into life in the early 1890s when a prospector who had been unsuccessfully searching for gold for nineteen years finally hit pay dirt. Victor, and the nearby Cripple Creek, became the two key towns in a strip of land just ten miles by six that offered up an extraordinary geological bonanza. People flocked into Victor in search of their fortunes and its population quickly rose to over 18,000. Flourishing businesses served the miners and the hundreds of surrounding mines, and an area which had once been isolated ranching country became totally transformed. The gold and the prospectors are now long gone, but Victor, with its current population of now only 450, still echoes this history in its streets and buildings.Anderson & Low discovered it by chance fifteen years ago and were immediately mesmerized by the town's individuality. With its sense of being a place outside of time - neither of the present nor of the past - it has drawn them back repeatedly.In their images they weave back-and-forth from expansive landscapes, through to expressive architectural images and intimate interiors. Whilst their subjects are primarily architectural, the human imprint of these historic structures is evident and powerfully conveyed. The result is a disarmingly intimate and moving study of a small American town.

In The New, New Home, Boyce Thompson, the editorial director of Builder magazine for 17 years, demystifies the challenges and opportunities facing new homebuyers. In it, he lays out the new green, high-tech, aging in place, space planning and construction options available in today's market. He helps buyers determine which features will improve their living experience today and create value if they sell their home down the road. The New, New Home is the one book that anyone contemplating buying or building a new home needs to read, arming new-home buyers with the actionable information that they need to make intelligent choices.

"The Singapore House is not just a building; it is a cultural phenomenon. Culture means ordinary everyday values-attitudes, beliefs, ideas and heritage. These apply to the cultural landscape of which the house forms a part and is particularly applicable to a fast growing metropolis like Singapore that has changed immeasurably in recent years."Setting the scene for this newly presented edition of The Singapore House &Residential Life 1819-1939, Edwards addresses the house's unique naturein the context of its colonial past. Architecture, the house plan, landscape,societal norms, recreation and more are all presented in a book where thepast resonates on every page. Thirty years on, the book still provides aninvaluable introduction to the history of architecture in the city-state.

The loft, a quintessentially urban form, is an ideal way to convert a home into a unique space that reflects its owner's personality. This book emphasizes how easy these projects can be, and how well they can approximate the enormous lofts of London and Manhattan by way of careful design.

Architectural and historical surveys of many of the most important buildings in Lincoln. This volume illuminates the development of different building styles in timber, stone and brick over a period of 750 years, in one of the oldest areas of Lincoln. High quality and detailed architectural drawings are accompanied by documentary accounts which explain the historical context, and tell some of the fascinating and tragic stories of the people who lived and worked there from the mid-twelfth century until the First World War, including the medieval Jewish community. Steep Hill is already internationally regarded for the quality of its cultural environment as well as its picturesque architecture, and the Strait and the upper part of the long High Street have a wide range of different architectural styles in their buildings, of considerable interest. Steep, Strait and High forms the final volume in a series of architectural and historical surveys of the historic buildings of Lincoln, based on forty-five years of research, originally undertaken by the Survey of Ancient Houses, sponsored by the Lincoln Civic Trust, and now continued in the work of the Survey of Lincoln. Christopher Johnson, Chair of theSurvey of Lincoln, was an archivist and latterly service manager at Lincolnshire Archives prior to becoming Information and Records Manager at Lincolnshire County Council; Stanley Jones was a lecturer at Sheffield College of Art,and has been deeply involved in the Survey of Ancient Houses in Lincoln.

With energy costs continuing to rise 'zero energy homes' are latest big green building trend. A Zero Energy Home (ZEH) - a home that produces as much energy as it consumes - is an idea whose time has come! Authors David Johnston and Scott Gibson explore the design and construction of self-sufficient houses from start to finish. They: make the case for a ZEH; cite climate and geographic challenges; describe exactly how to go about building an energy-efficient home; and, feature ten houses that were built for zero energy living. With unequalled knowledge and a passion for the subject, the authors walk readers through the process of building and living in a truly green home.

This is an inspirational reference book for anybody looking for ideas on how to plan a new home or remodel an existing one. Complete with 333 full colour illustrations of the house exteriors, it is designed for easy use with houses sorted by size and number of bedrooms. Fully indexed, it is easy to find any type of house plan - from bungalow to town house. All homes are UK specification and the book is produced in conjunction with the UK's biggest selling selfbuild magazine.

In a fast-paced world with mega upheaval, including climate crises and a global pandemic, the allure of growing your own food, being self-sufficient, and living green is immense. This yearning for not being wholly reliant on the supermarket, and the growing concerns over pesticides and food miles has led to the resurgence in seeking old-world skills. As showcased in Urban Homesteads, the benefits of a productive garden on your doorstep or within arm's reach, tending to chickens, harvesting your own honey, and using eco-friendly water-harvesting techniques are clear: fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruit on tap, fresh eggs, delicious honey; plus living at a slower pace, better value for money, and a more soothing and mindful existence. Of course, a healthy garden and environment also attracts beneficial insects and birds. Get inspired with this book's range of eco-friendly possibilities from around the globe. With beautiful full-colour photos, gathered here are stories of people who have set up their own productive and abundant back yard or patio, as well as examples of great vertical planters, indoor gardens, and those who have reached into the urban community allotment. Use this book to start your own journey with an urban homestead lifestyle, with lots of generous tips, modern green concepts as well as a twist of modern, technically savvy know-how. All the practical guidance you need on how to be the change you want to see.