30:30 Landscape Architecture, by Meaghan Kombol. Phaidon Press, September 2015, 320 pages, $75.
The one encouraging note amid the grim specters of climate change is the growing interest and burst of creative activity in landscape architecture today. This lavishly illustrated book presents the work of 30 of the most renowned landscape architects, along with their picks of the 30 top emerging landscape architects from 20 countries. The young profession, which appeared with urbanism in the 19th century, becomes increasingly important as more people move to cities. This book shows a surprising range of exciting approaches that land­scape architects are taking today.

Art of the Airport Tower, by Carolyn Russo. Smithsonian Books, November 2015, 176 pages, $45.
This big, beautiful photographic survey of 85 historic and contemporary air traffic control towers from around the world and throughout history was published to coincide with an exhibition at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The show runs through November 2016 and will travel internationally in 2017. Handsome color and black-and-white photographs by Smithsonian photographer Carolyn Russo show the surprising variety of forms the towers take and the way many reflect local cultural traditions.