La Défense

Fifty years into its history, La Défense has carved out a unique niche within the Paris Region. This volume retraces the history of this urban district which straddles the Seine and extending the Parisian axis. Taking the form of a dictionary and accompanied by detailed mapping, the book includes 62 illustrated entries from some 34 authors, cartographers and picture researchers. Across these entries, the La Défense quarter is described and analysed under three main historical headings: architecture and urban development, social and cultural influences, and political and economic context. A rich catalogue of images allows this unique urban story to be recounted in the form of a visual history, providing an accessible account of the evolution of an area that has become one of the largest and most influential business districts in the world.