46 STOWE GARDEN SURVEYED Temples of Delight - Stowe Landscaped Gardens byJohn Martin Robinson. (George Philip in association with the National Trust, 1990). 175pp .(12.95. Stowe is the greatest landscape garden ever created in England. This book explains how it came into existence; the hisrory of its remarkable creators and how it survived largely in its 18th century state before being acquired by the National Trust in 1989. Royalties from the sale of the book will go towards the massiveappeal launched by the Trust co restore the gardens and monuments over the next 10 years. Stowe is undoubtedly a work of art and an idealised romantic landscape rich in allusions and associations. It was a product of the ambitions of three generations of the Temple-Grevilles, one of the foremost Whig families of the 18th century. Stowe gave powerful physical expression to their partisan, liberal views and reflected their distaste for successive Tory administrations. They employed the finest architects and artists of their day: Bridgeman, Vanburgh, Gibbs, Kent and Brown; and the styles of the most important periods of landscape design were interleaved with superb taste and skill. Ambition was finally their downfall, bur our gain. The eventual financial collapse of the family by the 1840s was so dramatic that little further alteration could be carried out to the estate to reflect the changes in taste reflected in landscape design. The text is well supported by superb colour and black & white photographs by Jerry Harpur together with many other illustrations. These vividly portray the magnificent temples, arches and other ornamental features framed by foliage or mirrored in the chains of lakes or set against the skyline. There are two minor criticisms of the book. First, if the objective is to encourage support for such a major restoration, an Appendix illustrating the repairs already undertaken, rogether with the parlous state of many of the other monuments, would have been invaluable. Secondly, several 18th century engraved topographical views of the evolving Stowe landscape from the 1720s onward are included, but BOOKS all have differing orientations. A consistent aerial perspective or simplified maps brought together would have been a great aid. This small beautifully presented book is excellent value in support of a most worth-while conservation cause. Recommended. Bob Kindred LATIN PRIMER Carlo Scarpa & the Castelvecchio by Richard Murphy (Butterworth Architecture, 1990). 197pp. ISBN 0-408-5005 2-2 . .f 45.00.• Context recently reviewed the development of the ideas on re-use of hisroric buildings 10 years on from the publication of the Montague Report; but no comparisons were attempted with continental practice. As we move closer to European integration and, perhaps, harmonisation of legislation, it is instructive to examine the thinking and practical application of new uses to major buildings beyond our normal experience. Richard Murphy's book looks in great detail at the very extensive V ~ ~- _lil-~ MR~ ' " . ....r' ' .:.-· - /Y--'- ~·- A MODEL DESIGN GUIDE Excellently detailed advice on the conversion of traditional farm buildings has been issued by Aylesbury Vale District Council. Very specific recommendations on what to do and what not to do, for owners and architects: with a technical supplement setting out legal and structural requirements and relevant information on building regulations. l.,_ .. , " l .-.~ ,1 .• . ..._r-..,;,r"'v\)__£ it This building, illustrated in Aylesbury Vale's design guide, has lost its agricultural character. Planning Division, Department of Technical Services & Planning, Aylesbury Vale District Council: "The conversion of traditional farm buildings: design guide no 2". Available from the Council at Fowler Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP21 8QX. PS Appropriately, the paper it is printed on "includes straw pulp to help the environment". renovation of the Castelvecchio in L------------------------------ Verona by the distinguished Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa largely carried out between 1958-1964 and 1967-1973. This outstanding mediaeval fortress has a complex history. Built at great speed around 1354 on earlier foundations, it includes much later internal work of great interest; a moat, filled in the 17th century which was reexacavated by Scarpa; and battlements and rowers, the tops of which were destroyed by the French as punishment for the revolt of 1799 but which were also reinstated. Although the building has been a museum since 1923, it is the radical remodelling which has received international attention. These works pose fundamental questions about the treatment of repairs and reinstatements and the integration of new work within an ancient fabric. Many aspects of the completed design will stimulate debate among SPAB purists and others on the nature of such interventions and alterations. A graphic example is provided by Scarpa's extremely dramatic solution to the problems posed at the north east rower and mediaeval curtain wall facing the river where a massive vertical asymmetrical incision was made. This would be unthinkable in a British context. Continued in next column Published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the completed remodelling, the book starts with a reference to William Morris's ideas .and then examines Scarpa's approach to these complex problems; it then uses the architect's prolific sketches and drawings to show the evolution of the design into the completed overall design. Many of the exquisite construction details are included, and the commentary is well supported by Murphy's own crisp measured line drawings which accurately show the full realisation of Scarpa's work. There is also a fascinating chapter on the technical specification of the materials. The book is fairly successful in interpreting the many sketches illustrated, bur the reader might question the wisdom of including quite so many when several are reproduced more than once and some of those in pencil are rather murky. More photographs might have helped. This very thought-provoking book raises interesting questions about the nature of continental conservation practice in achieving adaptive re-use. The success of Scarpa's solution and the influence of his approach after 25 years reflection will be stimulus to all involved in with major historic monuments. Bob Kindred NOT JUST SMOCKS AND SANDALS Letchworth - the first Garden City. Mervyn Miller (Phillimore, 1989). 244pp. ISBN-0-85033-715-,1. "Mr. Ebenezer Howard is greatly to be congratulated ... The fortunate community living on this estate will rejoice in the knowledge that ... the rents of a population of30,000 souls will not go to enrich any individual landowner, but will be spent in such a way as will tend to refine the lives, enoble the characters and exalt the minds of all who reside on the estate." Heady, idealistic stuff, spoken not by some looney leftist of the day, but by Earl Grey, patron of the Garden City Movement, as he declared Letchworth open on Friday, 9 October 1903, in drenching rain. That Howard and the Founding Fathers knew what they were doing, as well as the value of a catchy title in promotion, is evident from their choice of name -First Garden City Ltd - for the company which had acquired the tract of 3,818acres at Letchford Manor near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, a few months earlier. It was the culmination of a movement for social reform and its architectural realisation which could claim such sages as Ruskin, Morris, CONTEXT 29
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