London Social & Functional Analysis 'Potato map' by Patrick Abercrombie 1943
£320
SKU
'London Social & Functional Analysis'
A landmark of planning and graphic design, this is the celebrated “London Social and Functional Analysis” or “Potato Map”, drawn by Arthur Ling and D. K. Johnson for J. H. Forshaw and Patrick Abercrombie’s County of London Plan (1943). Using coloured organic “egg” or potato-shaped cells instead of conventional street detail, it reimagined wartime London as a living network of neighbourhoods, communities, workplaces and green space awaiting post-war reconstruction. This pioneering fusion of cartography, urban planning and information design is regarded as an early archetype of the modern infographic and data visualisation. Its influence continues: The Potato Plan Collection (ETH Zurich/nai010, 2018) applied its visual language to 40 world cities. The County Plan has featured in London exhibitions during 2026, while a widely shared August 2026 feature by architecture commentator Philip Downer brought renewed attention. An attractive design classic appealing to collectors of London, architecture, town planning and graphic design.
Size 23 x 31 cm | 9.0 x 12.0 inches
Date Published: 1943
Type: Vintage colour book plate map
Author: Abercrombie, Patrick
Publication: County of London Plan
Condition: Good |
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