Architecture of Trees

"Any landscape architect worth their soil should pick up The Architecture of Trees, an all-encompassing atlas of all things tree-related."—The Architect's NewspaperA 2019 Oprah's Favorite Things PickA gorgeous, large format volume that shows each hand-drawn illustration in stunning detail. The Architecture of Trees is the result of over twenty years of dedicated study by landscape architects Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi. This new edition preserves the original magnificent illustrations and text, translated into English for the first time.Features more than 550 exquisite quill-pen drawings of trees. Each of the 212 tree species are drawn to a scale of 1:100, with and without foliage. Complete with tables of seasonal color variation and projections of shadows cast during the hours of daylight and season by season, no other tree book contains such detailed and scientific drawings.A legendary and unsurpassed botanical masterwork. Considered a standard in many landscape architecture firms, the drawings, essays, and detailed charts are essential for large scale landscaping projects and a helpful tool for backyard renovations. Landscape designers will think in new ways about the effect of seasons and the time of day on trees, and anyone interested in nature and trees will be captivated by the stunning illustrations."This book could be considered the Bible for tree lovers."—Western Art & ArchitectureAn incredible book for anyone interested in trees:• An oversized, captivating coffee table book for lovers of art and nature illustrations• A helpful tree identification book with accurate drawings of trees and detailed looks at branches, leaves, and fruit• A reference for students of landscape architecture, botany, dendrology, architecture, and illustration

"Beautifully and thoughtfully made compendium of information." - Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, "Chiming with this burgeoning consciousness is the reissue of Italian architect Cesare Leonardi's beautiful cult book The Architecture of Trees. Leonardi emerged from the 1960s architectural avant-garde in Italy; in the 1970s he turned his attention to landscape and, ultimately, trees. Together with Franca Stagi, he produced the book with the most astonishing pen-and-ink illustrations of trees, conceiving of them almost as architecture -- picturing them in elevation like building facades. It became a bible for landscape architects and designers and its reissue indicates a shift in attitude, seeing trees as something than merely ornament." - Financial Times, "Each drawing is carefully crafted and the passion for each tree reaches out from the pages to engage the reader. In an era where computers have become the "fallback" for graphic representation, these ink drawings transport the reader into the artist's and scientist's love for each tree. From the shade diagrams for all seasons to the origin and etymology of names of genera, this book provides both visual beauty and practical information. The Architecture of Trees is a true treasure for both the arboriculture novice and the meticulous scientist." - Economic Botany, "Filled with quill-pen illustrations of 212 species, the exquisite collection took its authors more than two decades to finish. Coffee table, make room!" - O, The Oprah Magazine, "If any question the place botanical drawing has in art history (they might want to read up on Ernst Haeckel for a start), they would do well to spend some time perusing through the pine trees in this book with their seemingly infinite leaves, or the hauntingly beautiful sketches of a leaf-less weeping willow. Either way, we lost track of time flipping through this tome, dreaming of our favorite sylvan settings, set in black and white." - Daily Beast

In 1963, as an undergraduate at Florence University of the Arts, Cesare Leonardi (1935–) opened a design practice with Franca Stagi (1937–2008), a postgraduate at Milan Polytechnic. Together they designed the celebrated Nastro, Eco, and Dondolo chairs before turning to urban and landscape design, renovation, and redevelopment in Modena and its surroundings.