Skyscrapers: A History of the World's Most Extraordinary Buildings (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Adrian Smith (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An eye-popping shelf-scraper...an elevating experience." (Gene Shalit, Today )

Product Description

At a stunning 18 inches tall and celebrating all of today's most significant superstructures, this all-new edition of Skyscrapers features 15 exciting new buildings and a brand-new interview with Adrian Smith, the world's foremost architect of supertall buildings.

Retaining all of the qualities that made it a major bestseller—informative commentary, historic facts and architectural information, and glorious photography— this groundbreaking, shelf-scraping international bestseller is a Skyscrapers for the new millennium.

Unique in scale and design, the book has been expanded to 160 pages and features more than 60 buildings by such well-known architects as Santiago Calatrava, Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, Philip Johnson, Morphosis, Jean Nouvel, Renzo Piano, Cesar Pelli, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Arranged chronologically, it includes features on such topics as the ancient roots of skyscrapers and visionary cities of the future-as well as a fascinating interview with Adrian Smith, designer of the Burj Dubai, the tallest structure in the world. Each informative spread includes photos, plans, diagrams, background, technological information, and more, all in an elegant design.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers; 2nd edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579127878
• ISBN-13: 978-1579127879
• Product Dimensions: 18.1 x 7.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #428,235 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Lot, November 12, 2008

By	M. Gerometta - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an updated version of Judith Dupre's masterpiece published in 1996. In the last 15 years the world has seen a skyscraper boom like nothing before in history. There have been dozens of "coffee table" books about tall buildings published during this period, but none have captured the passion for architecture and engineering like this series. I am happy to see this latest edition which features about 15 new buildings along with updated photos and information on the buildings featured in the first edition.

The book features a great mixture of some of the most famous skyscrapers, current projects and a few proposals presented in the same "tall" format. With current technology and structural materials, we are able to design unusually shaped buildings and go higher than ever, along with keeping in tune with nature. The highlight of the new edition is Burj Dubai, the tallest structure ever built by man, which is still under construction. When completed, it will be approximately the height of 2 Empire State Buildings!

Also check out "Bridges", "Churches" and "Monuments" by this author, all presented in an innovative format just as "Skyscrapers" has achieved.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars always a step higher, December 18, 2008

By	Vagnini Marco (Roma, Italy) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This new edition of "Skyscrapers" is even more astonishing than the first one! New pictures, new buildings (and some additional classic ones too). This is a "must have" for the bookshelf of people interested in architecture, design, engineering, and graphic design (the lay-out is well tuned to the book's content). Don't forget to see Bridges by the same author, obviously, it is a very lonnnnnnng book.

5.0 out of 5 stars rising higher, December 5, 2009

By	Epifanio Sadural IV "Sky Judge" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you buy this, it's worth the money. Although this is
a revised edition of the 1996 version, everything is
so well-researched and conentrated! My big sister gave me
this for my birthday, and when I saw the pages of the sky giants,
it was pretty heart-pounding. I'm glad I own these treasures.
Although, page 68/69, the World Trade Center page wasn't really good.
I think she should have put the actual Twin Towers on the taller
page, and put the illuminating absence skyline as one of the smaller pictures. But still, everything else is great!