To the Ends of the Earth

"To be clear, this is not a field guide to great monuments of great empires, great men, or great deeds—if anything, it is a collection of anti-monuments that become meaningful as metaphors for, and measures of, contemporary culture." —Richard Weller

In our vast world, which places and objects hold the greatest significance to the human condition today? In his new book To the Ends of the Earth, Richard Weller, a distinguished professor of landscape architecture and urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, invites you on a journey through landmarks of the 21st century to address this question. Drawing inspiration from the Grand Tours of the European gentry in the 17th and 18th centuries—immersive and educational experiences that showcased great works of art, awe-inspiring architecture, and the wonders of nature—Weller reimagines this tradition with a more egalitarian and global perspective. Unlike the original Grand Tour, this book does not seek to escape reality but rather confront it, selecting sites that can be seen as indictments of modernity and the human exceptionalism that underpins it.

Featuring an encyclopedic selection of 120 things and places that span all continents, the book is divided into seven evocative chapters: Hyperobjects, Paradises, Utopias, Machines, Monsters, Ruins, and Instruments. To the Ends of the Earth takes the reader on a journey through a wide spectrum of locations: from Steve Jobs’ idealistic Apple Park in California to the breathtaking national parks of Costa Rica; a field station dedicated to the conservation of wild orangutans in Borneo to the transformative Great Green Wall in Central Africa; the opulent Trump resort, Mar-a-Lago, in South Florida to the contentious border wall between Israel and Palestine.

The reader is free to flip around the book from place/object to place/object through Weller’s inclusion of specific “see-also” suggestions in each entry. Enjoyable to read and beautifully designed with custom-made maps and topographical images, To the Ends of the Earth offers a unique intellectual voyage, revealing deep insights into our contemporary culture and its interconnected narratives.

Join us for a book presentation and exhibition in Melbourne! May 29, 2024, 6pm / Music Market, 35 Johnston Street (Collingwood Yards), Collingwood Victoria 3066, Australia.

Richard Weller will be joined in conversation with Mark Jacques, director of Openwork landscape architects. Accompanying an exhibition at the CY Space in Collingwood Yards during Melbourne Design Week (May 29–June 1, 2024).

Order the book here with free shipping worldwide or find it at your local bookstore. Sign up for our mailing list to receive information about more upcoming book launches and other new releases.