Over the course of twelve chapters, Built in Chelsea: Three Centuries of Living Architecture and Townscape offers readers an opportunity to learn about key episodes of the area's history. By using the region's buildings and structures to mark the stages of change, it connects what can be physically seen on the street with the more hidden histories of the architects, patrons, and people who have made their lives in the area.

Author and architectural historian Dan Cruickshank points to the most crucial Chelsea locales--ranging from churches to military establishments, theaters to restaurants, and housing and shops--allowing readers to feel virtually at home. Cruickshank also notes how the spaces between buildings can be just as important as the buildings themselves. He shows how in recent years some exemplary regeneration projects have taken shape because Chelsea has had the benefit of landowners with long-term interests. Due to their unobtrusive management, Chelsea's proprietors have improved the experiences of both residents and visitors, creating a model for districts elsewhere in London and beyond.