A tour of not-to-be-missed public places—parks, plazas, memorials, streets—that shape the New York experience. The thirty-eight urban gems covered here range from newly created linear spaces along the water’s edge, such as Brooklyn Bridge Park and the East River Waterfront Esplanade, to revitalized squares and circles, such as those at Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District and Columbus Circle, to repurposed open spaces like the freight tracks, now the High Line, and Concrete Plant Park in the Bronx. Readers can discover midtown atriums, mingle with the crowds in Union Square, travel offshore to nearby Governors Island, and enjoy the vistas of historic Green-Wood Cemetery. Pete Hamill writes in his foreword, “I’ve . . . made a list of new places I must visit while there is time. With any luck at all, I’ll see all of them. I hope you, the reader, can find the time too.” Concise descriptions, helpful maps, and vivid photographs capture the New York urban scene.

Designed Landscapes is a case-by-case study of 37 significant, existing works of landscape design worldwide, largely constructed since the Renaissance. Being an informative and easy-to-read reference volume for practitioners and students alike, it presents key precedents in landscape architecture using site plans and recent photographs to showcase each project. Organised and presented in 12 sections based on project type, each project is examined based on date, previous site condition, designer(s), design intentions, current composition, unique features, ownership and management, and comparable projects. Each chapter offers an insightful critique of the featured projects. Written by the authors of Great City Parks, the book posits that these carefully selected key projects have maintained their status throughout the ages because they express values and design intentions that continue to inform the practice of the landscape architecture in the present day. The book concludes with a ten-point summary of lessons for professional practice gleaned from the studies. Including a wide range of case studies from countries including many in western Europe, the United States, Canada, India, Japan and China, and lavishly illustrated with over 200 full-colour images, the book is a must-have volume for anyone interested in the history and current practice of landscape architecture.

Urban biodiversity is an increasingly popular topic among researchers. Worldwide, thousands of research projects are unravelling how urbanisation impacts the biodiversity of cities and towns, as well as its benefits for people and the environment through ecosystem services. Exciting scientific discoveries are made on a daily basis. However, researchers often lack time and opportunity to communicate these findings to the community and those in charge of managing, planning and designing for urban biodiversity. On the other hand, urban practitioners frequently ask researchers for more comprehensible information and actionable tools to guide their actions. This book is designed to fill this cultural and communicative gap by discussing a selection of topics related to urban biodiversity, as well as its benefits for people and the urban environment. It provides an interdisciplinary overview of scientifically grounded knowledge vital for current and future practitioners in charge of urban biodiversity management, its conservation and integration into urban planning. Topics covered include pests and invasive species, rewilding habitats, the contribution of a diverse urban agriculture to food production, implications for human well-being, and how to engage the public with urban conservation strategies. For the first time, world-leading researchers from five continents convene to offer a global interdisciplinary perspective on urban biodiversity narrated with a simple but rigorous language. This book synthesizes research at a level suitable for both students and professionals working in nature conservation and urban planning and management.

The Rough Guide to New York City is the ultimate travel guide to this exciting city. In full color throughout and with dozens of photos to illustrate New York City's great buildings, iconic landmarks, and distinctive neighborhoods, this updated guidebook will show you the best the city has to offer. The guide includes itineraries to help you explore the city, discover great places to eat, and experience the city outside of the traditional tourist's path. You'll also find detailed information neighborhood-by-neighborhood, whether you want to visit the historic Financial District, Chelsea's High Line park, the churches of Harlem, Brooklyn's Coney Island, or even the furthest reaches of the Bronx. New York City has something for everyone--art galleries and museums, festivals and nightlife--and The Rough Guide to New York City uncovers it all, revealing hidden gems in some of the most popular areas and including all kinds of highlights in its "Top 5" lists. Detailed color maps for each neighborhood, plus a subway map and practical information on all the essentials, make getting around easy. Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to New York City. Now available in ePub format.

The Rough Guide to New York City is the ultimate travel guide to the city that never sleeps. With full color throughout and dozens of photos to illustrate New York City's great buildings, iconic landmarks, and distinctive neighborhoods, this updated guidebook will show you the best the city has to offer. The Rough Guide to New York City includes itineraries to help you explore all the must-see sights, discover great places to eat, and experience the city outside of the traditional tourist's path. You'll also find detailed information neighborhood-by-neighborhood, whether you want to visit the historic Financial District, Chelsea's High Line park, the churches of Harlem, Brooklyn's Coney Island, or even the farthest reaches of the Bronx. New York City has something for everyone - art galleries and museums, festivals and nightlife--and The Rough Guide to New York City uncovers it all, revealing hidden gems in some of the most popular areas and including all kinds of highlights in its "Top 5" lists. Detailed color maps for each neighborhood, plus a subway map and practical information on all the essentials, make getting around easy. Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to New York City. Series Overview: For more than thirty years, adventurous travelers have turned to Rough Guides for up-to-date and intuitive information from expert authors. With opinionated and lively writing, honest reviews, and a strong cultural background, Rough Guides travel books bring more than 200 destinations to life. Visit RoughGuides.com to learn more.

A 2001 investigation of the historical archaeology of urban slums, including eleven case studies.

Great City Parks is a celebration of some of the finest achievements of landscape architecture in the public realm. It is a comparative study of thirty significant public parks in major cities across Western Europe and North America. Collectively, they give a clear picture of why parks have been created, how they have been designed, how they are managed, and what plans are being made for them at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Based on unique research including extensive site visits and interviews with the managing organisations, this book is illustrated throughout with clear plans and photographs– with this new edition featuring full colour throughout. Tate updates his seminal 2001 work with 10 additional parks, including: The High Line in NYC, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam. All the previous city parks have also been updated and revised to reflect current usage and management. This book reflects a belief that well planned, well designed and well managed parks and park systems will continue to make major contributions to the quality of life in an increasingly urbanized world.

Taking a multidisciplinary approach this addresses the academic and practical issues concerning the present and future of the built environment, arguing for its enlightened management in the future of our present-day environment.

A thought-provoking, gorgeously illustrated gift book that will spark your creativity and help you rediscover your passion with “simple, low-stakes activities [that] can open up the world.”—The New York Times Welcome to the era of white noise. Our lives are in constant tether to phones, to email, and to social media. In this age of distraction, the ability to experience and be present is often lost: to think and to see and to listen. Enter Rob Walker's The Art of Noticing—an inspiring volume that will help you see the world anew. Through a series of simple and playful exercises—131 of them—Walker maps ways for you to become a clearer thinker, a better listener, a more creative workplace colleague, and finally, to rediscover what really matters to you.

A comprehensive identification guide to 189 common weeds in the urban environment, explaining their families and characteristics, with strategies for managing their presence in the garden and fields This engaging field guide for the urban explorer, gardener, or armchair enthusiast traces the history of weeds as they migrated out of the Middle East with human tribes and spread across Europe and the Americas, details the folklore surrounding them, and explains their role in the evolution of agriculture and human civilizations as well as their many uses for medicine, food, animal fodder, and soil enhancement. Richard Orlando provides detailed descriptions of 189 common weeds—found across the U.S.—describing their families and characteristics, and suggesting strategies for managing their presence in the garden and field. Abundant illustrations enhance the text and facilitate plant identification. An annotated bibliography and index of botanical names, in addition to a detailed explanation of Integrated Pest Management, make this an essential reference for anyone with an interest in the world outside our doors.