"Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat."

The Manhattan skyline is one of the great wonders of the modern world. But how and why did it form? Much has been written about the city's architecture and its general history, but little work has explored the economic forces that created the skyline. In Building the Skyline, Jason Barr chronicles the economic history of the Manhattan skyline. In the process, he debunks some widely held misconceptions about the city's history. Starting with Manhattan's natural and geological history, Barr moves on to how these formations influenced early land use and the development of neighborhoods, including the dense tenement neighborhoods of Five Points and the Lower East Side, and how these early decisions eventually impacted the location of skyscrapers built during the Skyscraper Revolution at the end of the 19th century. Barr then explores the economic history of skyscrapers and the skyline, investigating the reasons for their heights, frequencies, locations, and shapes. He discusses why skyscrapers emerged downtown and why they appeared three miles to the north in midtown-but not in between the two areas. Contrary to popular belief, this was not due to the depths of Manhattan's bedrock, nor the presence of Grand Central Station. Rather, midtown's emergence was a response to the economic and demographic forces that were taking place north of 14th Street after the Civil War. Building the Skyline also presents the first rigorous investigation of the causes of the building boom during the Roaring Twenties. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the boom was largely a rational response to the economic growth of the nation and city. The last chapter investigates the value of Manhattan Island and the relationship between skyscrapers and land prices. Finally, an Epilogue offers policy recommendations for a resilient and robust future skyline.

A monograph on the world's tallest building, rising 101 stories above its surrounding environment.

In 2010, Burj Khalifa achieved the title of Tallest Building in the World. The 2,717-foot structure, located in downtown Dubai, has 160 habitable floors and can accommodate more than 12,000 people. Its 54 elevators take only 60 seconds to reach the world's highest observation deck on the 124th floor. Suitable for ages 10 and up with adult supervision, this two-foot-high replica model of the ultramodern building appeals to hobbyists of all ages and makes a great family activity. Complete, easy-to-follow instructions include detailed diagrams for ease of assembly.

Find out which are the tallest buildings in the world! Read all about the perils and thrills of reaching for the clouds in gigantic towers. Levelled by expert literacy consultant, Dee Reid, this set of ten books is designed for students aged 10-14 with a lower reading age of 8.5-9. Short sentences and different text types such as diagrams, tables and bullet points serve to break up the text and allow readers to absorb the information more readily, taking breaks when they are needed. The subject matter is varied just like the format, and students will enjoy reading about animals from around the world, cons, strange jobs, aliens in films and Greek mythology - to name a few.

The structural challenges of building 800 metres into the sky are substantial, and include several factors which do not affect low-rise construction. This book focusses on these areas specifically to provide the architectural and structural knowledge which must be taken into account in order to design tall buildings successfully. In presenting examples of steel, reinforced concrete, and composite structural systems for such buildings, it is shown that wind load has a very important effect on the architectural and structural design. The aerodynamic approach to tall buildings is considered in this context, as is earthquake induced lateral loading. Case studies of some of the world’s most iconic buildings, illustrated with full colour photographs, structural plans and axonometrics, will bring to life the design challenges which they presented to architects and structural engineers. The Empire State Building, the Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101 and the HSB Turning Torso are just a few examples of the buildings whose real-life specifications are used to explain and illustrate core design principles, and their subsequent effect on the finished structure.

The global boom in skyscrapers—why it’s happening now, how they’re made, and what they do to cities and people. We are living in a new urban age, and its most tangible expression is the “supertall”: megastructures that are dramatically bigger, higher, and more ambitious than any in history. Cities around the world are racing to build the first mile-high building, stretching the limits of engineering and design as never before. In this fascinating work of urban history and design, TED resident Stefan Al—himself an experienced architect—explores the factors that have led to this worldwide boom. He reveals the marvelous and underappreciated feats of engineering that make today’s supertalls a reality, from double-decker elevators that silently move up to 50 miles per hour to the sophisticated blend of polymers and steel fibers that enables concrete to withstand 8,000 tons of pressure per square meter. Taking readers behind the scenes of the building and design of remarkable megastructures, both from the past (the Empire State Building, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower) and the present (Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, London’s Shard, Shanghai Tower), Al demonstrates the impact of these innovations. Yet while the supertall is undoubtedly a testament to great technological victories, it can come at an environmental and social cost. Focusing on four global cities—London, New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore—Al examines the risks of wealth inequality, carbon emissions, and contagion that stem from supertalls. And he uncovers the latest innovations in sustainable building, from skyscrapers made of wood to tree-covered buildings, that promise to yield a better urban future. Featuring more than thirty architectural drawings, Supertall is both a fascinating exploration of our greatest accomplishments and a powerful argument for a more equitable way forward.

"Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat."

Describes some of the worldÕs most fascinating structures, including the tallest buildings, amazing bridges, magnificent castles and palaces, an underground city, and structures that are underwater and another that is orbiting Earth.