From the back cover
Humanity stands dwarfed beside its greatest engineering accomplishments -- massive concepts of the human imagination created on the grandest of scales. Twentieth century architects, driven by function, artistry or ego, have sent grand steel-and-glass towers designs sprouting into the sky. Explore these mammoth structures in phenomenal detail in SKYSCRAPERS. Peel back the outer layer of the world's tallest buildings and delve into the newest achievements of structural composition. Examine the dangers that must be addressed in the designs of contemporary architects. Witness the mad dash for the heavens in the space-starved, but earthquake prone Pacific Rim. And decide which structure can truly lay claim to the title of World's Tallest Building. From the great skyscraper era of the 1920's through today's sky-piercing structures, SKYSCRAPERS illuminates the amazing designs and monumental human efforts that have forever altered our urban landscapes.
