Suburbia. Even the word conjures drab sameness. Long boring roads of the same semi-detached houses, same tidy lawns, same practical cars, everyone living the same mundane lives. But, what if you looked harder, and took some time to appreciate all the beauty that abounds in the outer boroughs. What might you find? What magic awaits? From the creator of the Instagram @LondonSuburbia comes a book about the real London, far away from the bright lights and tourists. Discover remnants of the interwar Art Deco architectural movement - the beautiful, optimistic mix of clean lines, geometric symmetry and elegant simplicity - dotted around all the outskirts of London, and countless beautiful factories, town halls, private houses, blocks of flats, cinemas and stations that wouldn't be out of place in Miami Beach. From Southgate to Ruislip, Forest Gate to Surbiton, this is a book about the people who built the city, the legacy they left, and those who live there now.
'Brilliant. London never looked so good. A glorious celebration of the city that will leave a big smile on your face.’ Daisy May Cooper
SEE LONDON IN A NEW LIGHT THROUGH STORIES AND PHOTOS OF OVER 100 HIDDEN SPOTS IN THE SUBURBS
How many of us have marvelled at the unexpected beauty of an art deco cinema, had our heads turned by the magnificent Hoover Factory on the A40, or wondered at a mosaic-covered house in Chiswick?
From stations that wouldn't be out of place in Miami Beach to cinemas converted to megachurches, I Love Suburbia brings to life the joys of living outside Zone 1. Step back in time and revisit simpler days in the suburbs to discover the pioneering interwar architects who brought modernism to Britain, or delight in the elegance of Art Deco buildings given a new lease of life. Filled with stories of the people who live, work and play in the outskirts of London, this full-colour book is an exploration of the capital’s overlooked everyday treasures.
Brought together by Simon Pollock, the creator of Instagram’s heartwarming @LondonSuburbia, with over 200 original photos of unusual charm from Chingford to Leatherhead, Beaconsfield to Becontree, this is the suburbs as you've never seen them before.