Author Description

<p>Here is the ultimate visual resource for the tropical lifestyle, from rustic to luxurious, from simple to ornate, from historic to contemporary. An amazing richness of styles is presented by the celebrated photographer Luca Invernizzi Tettoni. Elegant stilt houses and traditional bamboo constructions are viewed with the same probing eye as the grandest homes and most opulently decorated palaces and temples.<br> <br> <i>Ultimate Tropical</i> focuses on the Asian tropics - Thailand, the Maldives, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia and Cambodia - exploring the fascinating effects of the movement of peoples on the evolution of local architectural style. The author charts the forms of vernacular architecture in the different countries, and the ways in which they have been adapted to bring into being modern and contemporary building types.<br> <br> The many facets of this new style are shown in spectacular variety, from spa to tropical and from colonial to vernacular, through examples of private homes, hotels and public buildings. Breathtaking photographs bring the buildings to life in their environments, showing exterior and interior views, landscapes and seascapes, and detailed architectural features (such as doors and intricate ceilings), leading to some extraordinary juxtapositions. This is the ultimate photographic survey for anyone in search of the lush, colourful, feel-good tropical style.</p>