The Georgian Villa

This is the first book in recent years devoted to the Georgian villa in the British Isles. It addresses the fundamental themes of the architectural and intellectual tradition of the villa, the diversity of its design, location and use, and the problems of definition and typology. Images of the villa - real or imagined, written or visual - are shown to reveal much about contemporary attitudes. The role of Andrea Palladio, one of the key players in the promotion of villa culture, is reexamined through the response of architects throughout the period to his work. The importance of Roman models - from antiquity and the Renaissance - is shown to be at least equal to those from the Veneto. The ever increasing range of form, planning and sources of the villa is seen not only in Robert Adam's designs, but also in the variations of the villa found in Edinburgh and Glasgow, where it provided balanced contrast between city and retreat. Later in the period, changes in demand for housing and the urban fabric brought the villa into the city where its elitist aspirations were replaced by democratizing principles. This collection of essays, written by leading scholars in the field, draws together an outstanding body of work, presenting the latest thinking and research on the Georgian villa.