The Twentieth Century House in Britain: From the Archives of Country Life

by Alan Powers

Since its inception in 1897,  Country Life  magazine has built an unrivaled photographic archive of 20th-century British architecture—one that encompasses a broader range of styles than any other. This archive forms the basis of Alan Powers’ new survey of 20th-century houses, which features 200 color and duotone images from the pages of the magazine. Arranged in chronological chapters, from the 1920s to the 1990s, the book is preceded by an enlightening introductory essay on the changing nature of architectural style over the course of a century. Both town and country houses are included, as well as successful remodelings of earlier buildings, such as London’s glorious Eltham Palace. It is a superb portrait of the beauty and triumph of 20th-century British architecture.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Alan Powers is a teacher, researcher and writer specialising in architecture and design.

Powers trained as an art historian at University of Cambridge, gaining an undergraduate degree and a PhD.

As a writer Powers has been prolific, writing reviews, magazine articles, obituaries of artists and architects as well as books. He has concentrated on 20th century British architecture and architectural conservation. He has also written books on the design of book jackets, shop fronts, book collectors, and the artist Eric Ravilious as well as monographs on Serge Chermayeff, and the British firms of Tayler and Green and of Aldington, Graig and Collinge.