London Hidden Interiors

180 of London's best conserved and least known interiors are revealed in 1500 spectacular photographs. Following his successes with revealing London s vanished architectural heritage in Lost London and Panoramas of Lost London, Philip Davies now turns his attention to London s conserved heritage, presenting an expert introductory essay followed by the most extraordinary collection of contemporary photographs of London s historic interiors ever published. The increasing popularity of Open City has stimulated the curiosity of local Londoners and visitors from afar, awakening renewed interest and comprehension of London s succes in preserving amazing interiors, from private salons to traditional public houses, from ornate churches to industrial plants. London Hidden Interiors has one hundred and eighty examples which have been selected from a complete range of building types to convey the richness and diversity of London s architectural heritage and the secrets that lie within. It concentrates generally on the buildings and interiors that are lesser known and to which the public are not normally allowed the hidden and the unusual, the quirky and the eccentric, although there is space too for some of the better known. The careful composition, superb lighting and exposure of the images featured in this book are themselves a lesson in conservation, capturing the sense of these unique spaces whilst at the same time revealing the important architectural detail; Derek Kendall s photographs, perfectly reproduced, make this book a visual delight and a major contribution to the architectural history of London.