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