- This richly illustrated guide endeavors to highlight how New Orleans, a city built precariously close to a watery threat, became one of the greatest metropolises in the world- Acknowledges the challenges posed by the city's location, as well as the opportunities this location created and the resilience of the inhabitants who have made New Orleans their home, past and presentNew Orleans, like Venice, is built in a location that at first sight seems curious in the extreme. How could it be that these cities, built so precariously in the face of a watery threat, were to become among the great cities of the world? How could a site below sea level, at a swampy curve in the River Mississippi become one of the most visited cities in the United States, and possess a unique kind of magic that separates it from other cities? Geoffrey Baker provides this gem of an architectural guide. Inside these richly illustrated pages he endeavors to highlight the city's plight and provide insight into the city's inimitable spirit that's born of its constant battle for survival as it's frequently handicapped by nature's capacity to destroy--in the form of hurricanes.