This three-page summary of the history of classic Beaux-Arts planning in the Lake Forest area (estates region extending today north to North Chicago, west to Vernon Hills and Libertyville, and south to Riverwoods and the Ryerson Woods Conservation Area, Lake County Forest Preserves on the west and north Highlandl Park and the Exmoor and Old Elm golf/country clubs further east). 

The first page defines the architectural and landscape design character of Lake Forest not as a style but as an approach, relates it to Lake Forest's history, and notes that over fifty architects parcticed following its rules locally.  It then describes its eclipse in the post World War II modernist movement and then its revival with postmodernism and an historisist revival in the final quarter of the 20th c. 

The new century has seen modernism return somewhat (the addition to the College's Sports Center on Sheridan Road), while good historicist building and landscape work continues in historic districts while what have been termed McMansions seem to be asserting themselves west and even in southeast Lake Forest, forgetful of classic rules very often--hierarchy of form (not upstaging neighbors' houses; respecting historic elements on properties), composition, proportion, harmony, etc.   

Pages two and three outline the essential elements that constitute this apporach: planning first of all (with four main types of plans for circulation in buildings).  These include hierachy of form, harmony, and proportion, etc.  

These principles outlined are reflected in the 2003 W. W. Norton-published book by Kim Coventry, Daniel Meyer, and Arthur H. Miller: Classic Country Estates of Lake Forest, Architecture and Landscape Design: 1856-1942.  Included at the end are lists of estates with owners, dates, etc., and also an extensive list of short biographies of designers (architecture, gardens, landscapes, interiors, sculpture, etc.).  The book is out of print, sometimes available on the out-of-print market and in mid 2012 is partially accessible on Google books. 

Finally, on page three these rules are related to architectural and landscape/garden styles, national or period vocabularies of deisgn motifs.