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.