As one of the few architectural critics to eschew purely aesthetic modes of analysis, Ian Nairn's timeless books on modern urban cities have been hailed as some of the most significant writing about contemporary Britain, while also being praised as alternative "guidebooks" for curious travelers. First published in 1964, Modern Buildings in London celebrates the character of buildings that were immediately recognizable as "modern" in 1964, many of which were not part of the well-known landscape of London but instead were gems that Nairn stumbled across.

Written "by a layman for laymen," Nairn's take on modern design includes classic London buildings such as the Barbican, the former BBC Television Centre, and the Penguin Pool at Regent's Park Zoo, as well as schools, old timber yards, ambulance stations, car parks, and even care homes.