Portmeirion: The Architecture of Pleasure Hardcover

Portmeirion: The Architecture of Pleasure By Sarah Baylis | Hardcover | 28 April 2026 Explore the extraordinary story of Portmeirion, the unique Italianate village created on the North Wales coast by visionary architect Clough Williams‑Ellis (1883–1978). Founded in 1926 and developed over a century, Portmeirion evolved from a single hotel into an immersive architectural landscape of colourful buildings, subtropical gardens and carefully staged views, crafted to delight and inspire. Richly illustrated with new photography and previously unpublished archival material, this book reveals Portmeirion as a living, continually evolving place. Sarah Baylis traces how the village has been shaped by the architects, craftspeople, residents and visitors who brought it to life, and how it has survived war, fire and a global pandemic to become one of Wales’s most beloved destinations, now welcoming more than 250,000 visitors each year. From its attraction to writers, artists and cultural figures such as Bertrand Russell, Noël Coward, Frank Lloyd Wright and George Harrison, to its role as a discreet refuge for the queer community during periods of persecution, Portmeirion: The Architecture of Pleasure situates the village within broader social, cultural and architectural histories. It also examines the global impact of Portmeirion through design, tourism and the enduring popularity of Portmeirion Pottery. An essential addition for readers interested in architecture, landscape, design history and the pleasures of place-making. Available from the RIAS Bookshop Author: Sarah Baylis Publisher: Yale University Press Format: Hardcover Pages: 256 pages ISBN: 9780300279856 Publication date: 28 April 2026 (UK)