Product Description

Accessibly written, and with over 300 watercolour illustrations, Building Norfolk is an illustrated history of Norfolk's buildings, up to the present day. In the middle ages, Norfolk was one of England's most powerful regions, with Norwich the second biggest city in the British Isles. But by the time of the industrial revolution Norfolk was something of a backwater, and the transformations of this period passed it by. As a result, there is a higher density of old buildings left in Norfolk than anywhere else in Britain, and Building Norfolk does full justice to this extraordinary heritage of barns, farms, manor houses, villages, market towns, stone walls, churches and the great houses of Holkham and Houghton. But the book is not only about the past. Matthew Rice passionately believes in the value of earlier, local, solutions in addressing the challenges of future development. In its final quarter, his book becomes a plea for a well-mannered, intelligent modern interpretation of vernacular architecture, and concludes with a proposal for Worsted, a new town to built following the lessons of generations of Norfolk builders.Rice's support of Prince Charles' new town of Poundbury and his criticism of the current state of planning in Norfolk are sure to attract attention and controversy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8821 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 200 pages

Review
Book of the Week: All those interested in architecture will enjoy this book. And of course every Norfolk dweller lucky enough to live in one of the old cottages, vicarages or country houses there. --Daily Telegraph

His pictures sing from the page. Unlike photographs, the medium allows him to 'emphasise, exclude or exaggerate', and its washes are ideal for rendering, say, the uneven colour of a wall of carrstone. Architectural features have annotations in the author's own hand, and these can range from the witty to exasperated. He lays into lazy modern house design and unimaginative planning, finishing the book with his own scheme to expand the village of Worstead: an intelligent blueprint with wide application. Though Rice does not stint the great country houses his heart seems to lie with more modest buildings. Such discoveries in the sticks are, it seems, normal for Norfolk. --World of Interiors

In a lovely book extensively illustrated with his idiosyncratic and witty watercolours, Rice pays homage to the country houses, estate buildings, seaside towns, inns, parsonages and many churches. --Sunday Telegraph

About the Author
Matthew Rice is a painter, designer and writer. He is the author of Village Buildings of Britain (Little Brown), to which Prince Charles contributed a foreword. He lives in Norfolk with his wife, the potter Emma Bridgewater.

Customer Reviews

A delightful read
I'm a Norfolk lad living temporarily in the architectural wasteland of Essex, and I bought this book in conjunction with Rice's 'Architectural Primer'. I had already spotted Rice's charming illustrations in 'Country Life' magazine. My role as a surveyor necessitates a basic understanding of architecture, but I couldn't face the prospect of Pevsner. I am delighted that I shelled out for Rice's books: 'Building Norfolk' is both a insightful and amusing read, but it is the warmth of the illustrations and the simple historical commentary that makes the book. It is also an undemanding book, with the less of the jargon and stodgy prose of the aforementioned 'Primer.

I commend it to anyone with an interesting in Norfolk's beautiful buildings.

A disappointment
This book was a disappointment, within ten minutes of receiving it I found at least four errors. One house in particular caught my eye, it was my childhood home, Mr Rice claims it to be a rectory, it is not a rectory and never has been and not likely to be! The 'map' on the inside cover is farcical and an insult. If he claims to be such a big fan of Norfolk - I suggest he spends more time in getting his facts correct about it. I have lived here all my life and feel I know my county considerably better than Mr Rice, who in my opinion should stick to illustrating calendars.

Building Norfolk
This book was part of a birthday present. It arrived on time and in good condition.