Product Details

• Actors: Building Big
• Directors: -
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 5
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: PBS
• DVD Release Date: October 26, 2004
• Run Time: 327 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002XVS92
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,537 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Award-winning author-illustrator—and captivating storyteller—David Macaulay (The Way Things Work) goes to extremes with five really big adventures that explore the greatest manmade wonders of the world. The series introduces the courageous creators and builders and reveals the deadly disasters and personal triumphs behind these breathtaking structures. Spectacular film footage, dramatic recreations and David’s unique illustrations excite, explain and entertain in a big way. • Tower above the clouds on the Golden Gate; build the Brooklyn Bridge; and explore Europe’s groundbreaking spans in • See how dams change not only the course of rivers, but the course of history as well, in an adventure that reaches from the top of the Hoover Dam to the banks of the Nile in Dams; Discover 2000 years of architectural wonders as Domes explores the Houston Astrodome, St. Peter’s Cathedral, the geodesic domes of Buckminster Fuller, and more • Go to the top of the skyline for tall tales about Skyscrapers including Chicago’s Sears Tower, New York’s Empire State Building and Malaysia’s record-setting Petronas Towers • Be a "mole" in Boston’s "Big Dig;" explore the "Chunnel;" and go deep under New York’s Hudson River for a wild look at Tunnels • Bonus Activities! Join Kenny and Caroline from the PBS kids’ show ZOOM and other kids and their parents as they build five scaled-down structures using only common household items like straws, masking tape, and newspaper

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brain-building entertainment, September 1, 2004

By 

A. VanHecke "Love2learn Mom" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Building Big: Bridges/Domes/Skyscrapers/Dams/Tunnels (DVD)

This set of five videos by artist/architect David Macaulay provides many hours of insightful entertainment and a great introduction to science and technology on a practical level. Each themed film - Bridges, Skyscrapers, Tunnels Domes and Dams - provides an in-depth historical treatment of the particular structure, interesting stories and overviews from famous structures and basic scientific principles involved in each project.

The set features lots of great location shoots with David Macaulay narrating interesting stories and pointing out details of each site.

To give you an idea, "Tunnels" covers aqueducts and water-carrying tunnels of Ancient Rome, early canal and train tunnels of the 19th century (particularly in England and the U.S.), archaic and modern methods of tunnel digging (particularly under rivers), issues involving tunnel safety (both during the project and during use afterwards) with a special emphasis (in all areas) on the building of the Channel Tunnel in the 1990s between England and France. Each video also includes a "Building Small" segment and pamphlet so that families can tackle simple science projects at home that demonstrate principles of architecture.

Our family has really enjoyed these movies - from the four year old all the way up to Mom and Dad. The material is substantial, but easy to understand (particularly with the excellent use of computer graphics and artistic sketches).

My only caution would be that there were a few photos from an airplane crash into the Empire state Building in the 1940s that are a little graphic for young children. I was very excited to learn that these are coming out on DVD this fall.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff, August 7, 2007

By 

Alice Cotton-royer (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Building Big: Bridges/Domes/Skyscrapers/Dams/Tunnels (DVD)

I really like these DVDs. As a teacher the DVDs can be shown to students, plus you get activities on the DVD and a book you can print. This was made so that you could actually use it with today's kids. I am a teacher and I love these.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Building Big DVD boxed set, March 19, 2010

By 

Mark W. Latorella "Marcus Dadius" (Pittsfield, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Building Big: Bridges/Domes/Skyscrapers/Dams/Tunnels (DVD)

I have used this DVD series (and others by the same author) many times. The scientific principles of how to construct large structures are presented clearly with many illustrations and animations which add clarity and simplicity to the explanations. The author often uses examples from history to demonstrate and develop the concepts he is high-lighting. The information is presented in a very entertaining way which makes his approach effective and enjoyable. The only minor down-side to the series is that some of the projects that were shown in process are now years after completion. In some minor cases what was state-of-the- art when the DVD was produced is now not so. Even with this down-side, the strength of the series is on explaining basic principles,which by their definition, never are out dated. Bottom line, I strongly recommend this series.