About the Book

Barr travels across time and space, from Chicago in the 1880s, to New York in the 1920s, to London’s past and present, and then onto Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the Arabian Peninsula. Barr then takes a global view to see why the quest to build up is as fierce as ever and why skyscrapers remain so controversial. Finally, Barr closes with possible scenarios for the future.

Filled with fascinating details for urbanists, architecture buffs, and urban design enthusiasts alike, Cities in the Sky addresses the good, bad, and ugly for cities that have embraced vertical skylines.

Cities in the Sky

The Quest to Build

the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers


From the Empire State Building (1,250 feet) to the Shanghai Tower (2,073 feet) and everywhere in between, Barr explains the unique architectural and engineering efforts that led to the creation of the world’s tallest buildings. Along the way, Barr visits and unpacks some surprising myths about the earliest skyscrapers and the growth of the world’s skylines.

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Table of Contents


AMERICA

PART 1

Hive Minds in the Sky

CHAPTER 3

The American Century

The Height King in the Zone

CHAPTER 2

New York City

From Dismal Swamp to Second City

CHAPTER 1

Chicago

EURASIA

PART 2

Tales from the Arabian Heights

CHAPTER 7

Oil-Rich Cities

Skyscraper Fever

CHAPTER 6

China

From Barren Rock to World’s Densest City

CHAPTER 5

Hong Kong

From No to Yes

CHAPTER 4

London

A GLOBAL VIEW

PART 3

in a Post-COVID World

EPILOGUE

Cities and Skyscrapers

The Quest for the City of Tomorrow

CHAPTER 10

Futureopolis

Skyscrapers and Their Discontents

CHAPTER 9

Cities and Civilization

The Value of Height

CHAPTER 8

Sky Prizes