The book moves from German 'zoning', the aesthetics of grand urban and landscape design from France and the USA, and the utopian English idea of the 'garden city' through to the dynamism of the Asian tiger cities and the environmental ideology of the late 20th century. It creates an international body of knowledge and expertise.

With case material from major cities in Western Europe, North America, Australia and Asia, this book charts the changing centres of influence in planning and identifies the cities which will lead the way in the next century.