Originally published in 1934, London. The Unique City by Steen Eiler Rasmussen tells the fascinating story of one of the world's most influential metropoles. Rasmussen conducted extensive research on the London's history as well as on the manners and mores of its inhabitants. The book is further enriched by the author's many years of personal observation and analysis regarding London's urban and architectural development. London. The Unique City is thus a classic work that remains an instructive guide to the city's history and urban forms.
A key idea contained in the book is that a city's future can be decisively influenced by self-reliant and culturally aware citizens who take action on behalf of the city, without depending on the public sector. This idea, which is just as relevant today as it was some eighty years ago, is being revitalized in international urban discourse, as demonstrated by the influential Urban Age conference, which has showcased opportunities for local action on the basis of numerous examples. Steen Eiler Rasmussen (1898–1990) was one of the last great architects to address the broader social context of his work. He presented his observations and analysis in a great number of publications, the the most famous of which is undoubtedly London. The Unique City.