This book is a major publishing event for everyone who cares about the quality of our cities and wants to do something about it. Gordon Cullen's name is already known internationally because of his book Townscape; but David Gosling has now brought together such an astonishing range of Gordon Cullen's urban design drawings and writings that a new generation of architects, urban designers and policy makers, in both America and Europe, will experience his genius as though for the first time. Cullen fought bitterly against the ravages of our towns, neighbourhoods and commercial streets brought upon us by highways, billboards, wires and subtopia. However his lasting contribution lies not in his protest, but in his belief that the quality of our cities can be regained by focusing on the quality and human scale of place. This book is rich in the freshness and range of Cullen's visual and verbal descriptions - all the way from the craftsmanschip of our heritage to the detail of his urban design recommendations. David Gosling's writing brings the sensitivity and eagerness of this remarkable man to life with unforgettable vividness.

This book is a loving account of Gordon Cullen's half-century career. Presented in chronological order, the book's detailed material will be welcomed by both students and scholars as a complement to Cullen's own influential publications. The book sets a rich context for his extraordinary drawings and pioneering theoretical constructs which continue to provide an important foundation for urban design. Cullen's reliance on the study of vernacular settings, his focus on the pedestrian's experience, on the kinetic aspects of design and many other concepts, all come to life again as David Gosling recounts his life and interactions with te planning and architectural professions. As such, the book serves as a critical history of urban design since it emerged in the 1960s.