Architecture For Cars

How cars shaped modern architecture

Christopher Beanland

$59.99

Hardback

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English

Batsford
16 April 2025

Public buildings: civic, commercial, industrial; Motor cars: general interest; Travel & holiday guides

A smooth ride through the golden age of car travel, looking at both its cultural and architectural impact on the world.

Despite the inherently mobile nature of cars, the culture of road travel and the road trip is arguably best reflected in the stationary spots found along the way. Christopher Beanland journeys through these built environments the world over, whose sole purpose is to cater to cars and those who drive them, and examines what makes them so alluring.

Illustrated with 65 stunning photographs, Architecture + Cars explores everything from the brutalist fashions of listed UK petrol stations to the quirky and colourful drive-thrus found across the US. If you've ever wondered where German drivers stop off for a quick prayer, why Ed Ruscha felt drawn to painting gas stations, or you just enjoy the aesthetics of car-centric architecture, this book is for you.

Also included are essays on wider topics such as roadside signs, drive-in malls and retail parks, cars on film, and roads that never were. This latest architectural deep-dive from Christopher Beanland focuses mainly on the 20th century, with an additional optimistic look towards the future: hopefully an electric vehicle-led existence will herald a new, greener 'golden age' for cars.

By: Christopher Beanland
Imprint: Batsford
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 235mm,
Weight: 517g
ISBN: 9781849949088
ISBN 10: 1849949085
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 16 April 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Christopher Beanland is a journalist, comedy writer and author who specialises in architecture and travel writing. He is the author of Unbuilt: Radical Visions of a Future that Never Arrived and Lido: A dip into outdoor swimming pools: the history, design and people behind them. He writes regularly for the Guardian, Independent and The Telegraph and is the creator of Park Date – a podcast where he interviews celebrity guests in a park. Christopher lives in London.