London Buildings: An Architectural Tour

Dipper and Farquhar, of the U.K.'s quirky People Will Always Need Plates company, share the architectural line drawings that inspired their many products (mugs, plates, tea towels, etc.) in this slim and colorful book. With subjects ranging from the mundane (e.g., public housing projects, apartment buildings, and tube stations) to the dramatic (e.g., the futuristic row houses of Grand Union Walk or the Battersea Power Station), each entry achieves the stated goal of getting readers to be more aware and appreciative of their surroundings%E2%80%94specifically the "built environment"%E2%80%94and the thought that went into each structure. Each illustration is accompanied by a brief paragraph detailing the significance and/or history of the building in question, but which unfortunately does little more than define the building's role in London. Londoners familiar with these buildings will likely get the most out of this abbreviated architectural tour (there is only one image of each building, and no actual photographs), as will devoted fans of Dipper and Farquhar's wares, and kids enticed by bold colors and interesting designs. 45 color illus. (Apr.)