Building the Empire State [Paperback]

Carol Willis (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2007

A rediscovered 1930s notebook charts the construction of the Empire State Building.

The construction of the Empire State Building was orchestrated by general contractors Starrett Brothers and Eken, premier "skyline builders" of the 1920s. They scheduled the delivery of materials and the construction and recorded daily the number of workers by trade. Compiled from these records, an in-house notebook documented the construction process. Meticulously typed on graph paper and illustrated with construction photographs, this unique document combines a professional specificity of detail with a charming rhapsody to the firm's crowning achievement.Constructed in eleven months, the 1250-foot Empire State Building, the world's tallest skyscraper from 1931 to 1971, was a marvel of modern engineering. The frame rose more than a story a day; no comparable building since has matched that rate of ascent.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A handsome volume, annotated intelligently and accompanied by two excellent essays and original site photographs...instructive, interesting and occasionally entertaining. -- Times Higher Education Supplement

A remarkable document. -- Casabella, Nicholas Adams

Filled with marvelous arcana....but it also concerns itself with serious controversies... -- New York Times

Packaged in a handsome volume, annotated intelligently and accompanied by two excellent essays and original site photographs...Instructive, interesting... -- Times Higher Education Supplement, Karl Sabbagh

These notes combine the dry facts with sensitive observations....A welcome contribution to the history of high-rise building technology. -- APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology, Anat Geva, Ph.D.

About the Author

Carol Willis, an architectural historian and founder of The Skyscraper Museum.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (April 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393732312
• ISBN-13: 978-0393732313
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #897,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "Dead Sea Scrolls" of the Empire State Building., August 11, 2000

By 

M. L. Loudermilk (Anchorage, AK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Building the Empire State (Norton Book for Architects and Designers) (Hardcover)

This is actually three stories in one. First, the discovery of a personal notebook documenting the construction of the ESB by an involved, but unknown author. Meticuously typed, with photographs, the manuscript was obviously a labor of love. Second, the written manuscript provides details of the construction which are engrossing, and the notebook's photos show the processes of constuction - not what was done but how they did it. Finally, the first 40+ pages provide a great summary of the ESB's history for the uninitiated. One of the most intriguing aspects of this book are the full-page photocopies of the notebook's actual pages, which only add to the historical sense and mystique of the manuscript. A great gift for the "construction-type" in your life, which is how I got mine...after numerous hints.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing insight in the building process of this landmark, June 19, 2000

By 

Jos Knippen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Building the Empire State (Norton Book for Architects and Designers) (Hardcover)

Based on actual records the construction company kept during the building process, this book gives an insight of how such an astonishing effort was completed. The whole process of buying the spot, finding an architect(!), tearing down the existing building, design, and building the Empire State took only 22 months. It's an outstanding example of how the management of a very complex project can be done and a must read for everyone in the software industry ;-). Fun to browse through yourself, a sure hit as a gift to anyone interested or working in architecture, construction or project management.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating historical reference, May 31, 2010

By 

DC "No one special" (San Diego) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Building the Empire State (Paperback)

The book is a treasure of historical collections from the construction of the Empire State Building, including actual daily reports, observations and techniques. If you appreciate high rise construction, this is a must read. Awe inpsiring what they were able to accompish 80 years ago.