Part one. Cities of today -- Bird's-eye view. The City at dawn -- The City at night. Descent into the streets -- St. Louis. The Telephone Building -- St. Louis. The Plaza -- Chicago. The Board of Trade -- Chicago. Michigan Boulevard. The Tribune Tower -- New York. Bryant Park. The Radiator Building -- New York, Lexington Avenue. The Shelton -- New York. The Belden project -- New York. Riverside Drive. The Master Building -- New York. Fifth Avenue. The Waldorf-Astoria Office Building -- New York. The Daily News Lobby -- New York. Convocation Building -- Detroit. The Penobscot Building -- Detroit. The Fisher Building -- Detroit. The David Stott Building -- Los Angeles. The City Hall -- New York. Forty Second Street. The Chanin Building -- New York. Forty Second Street. The Chrysler Building -- New York. Wall Street. Bank of The Manhattan Company Building --
Part two. Projected trends -- The Lure of the City -- Crowding towers -- Overhead traffic-ways -- Pedestrians over wheel-traffic -- Churches aloft -- Apartments on bridges -- Evolution of the step-back building. First stage -- Second stage -- Third stage -- Fourth stage -- The four stages -- Crude clay for architects -- Buildings in the modeling -- Verticals on wide avenues -- Two-block building -- Vista thru a two-block building -- Reversion to past styles -- Lofty terraces -- Hanging gardens -- Modern ziggurats -- Glass -- Concrete -- Steel --
Part three. An imaginary metropolis -- Bird's-eye view -- The Business Center -- The Art Center -- The Science Center -- Vista in the Business Zone -- Looking West from the Business Center -- Vista in the Art Zone -- Night in the Science Zone -- Power -- Finance -- Technology -- Industrial Arts -- Religion -- Philosophy -- Plan -- Clue.

"In 1916, New York City enacted zoning laws that mandated the building of 'set-back' structures so that light and air would be more freely admitted into the streets below. This concept was first proposed by Louis Sullivan in his 1891 article, 'The high-building question' (inspired by William Le Baron Jenney's recently completed Manhattan building in Chicago). Hugh Ferriss (1889-1962), American draftsman and architect, studies architecture at Washington University in St. Louis where the Beaux Arts school was favored. Early in his career he worked as a draftsman in the office of Cass Gilbert until he became a freelance delineator. In 1922, Ferris took part in a series of zoning envelope studies that sought to comply with the earlier city legislation. Such were the key ingredients that gave rise to [this book]. In [this book], 59 stunning illustrations depict towering structures, personal space, wide avenues, and rooftop parks - features that now exist in many innovative, densely populated urban landscapes. Ferriss uses metaphors from nature that lend his text a poetic quality. It is no wonder that the work inspired critics of the time to remark: 'As a creative entity, as a symbol of the American spirit, it is superb' ('Survey'); and as 'magically stirring as a prophecy' (Albert Guerard in 'Books'). With its eloquent commentary and powerful renderings, [this book] is an indispensable resource for students, architects, and anyone else with an interest in American architecture"--Back cover.