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

Skyscrapers chronicles the history and engineering of the world's tallest and most significant vertical buildings. Philip Johnson and Judith Dupre examine over 60 notable structures, from early experiments in height to modern architectural achievements. The book presents each featured building through architectural drawings, photographs, and technical specifications. Historical context and construction details reveal the evolving technologies and cultural forces that shaped these monuments, from the pyramids to contemporary supertall towers. This volume stands out for its physical format - a tall book that mirrors its subject matter, allowing full-page vertical photographs that capture the scale of these buildings. The authors connect architectural innovation to broader developments in cities, materials science, and society across different eras and locations. The work serves as both a reference text and a meditation on humanity's drive to build upward, exploring themes of ambition, innovation, and the relationship between architecture and power.

Readers value this book as a coffee table reference, praising its unique vertical format that matches the buildings' proportions. The photographs and architectural drawings receive frequent mentions for their detail and quality. Likes: - Clear technical specs and historical context for each building - Mix of historic and modern structures - Durable binding and high print quality - Accessible writing style for non-architects Dislikes: - Some readers found the text too brief for each building - A few noted outdated information in older editions - Price point considered high by some - Some wanted more engineering/construction details Ratings: Amazon: 4.6/5 (437 reviews) Goodreads: 4.2/5 (386 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Perfect for architecture students and enthusiasts" - Amazon reviewer "Would benefit from more interior photos" - Goodreads reviewer "Best architectural reference for its size" - LibraryThing review

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🌟 The book's unconventional design mirrors its subject matter - it stands 18 inches tall and opens vertically, allowing readers to experience the towering buildings in their proper orientation. 🏗️ Author Judith Dupre had to overcome her fear of heights while researching the book, climbing many of the world's tallest buildings to gain firsthand perspective. 🌆 The 2013 revised edition includes the One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower), which was still under construction when the book was being written, requiring last-minute updates to include its completion. 📚 Each building featured in the book is illustrated with custom line drawings that maintain precise architectural scale, allowing readers to make direct size comparisons between different skyscrapers. 🎨 Philip Johnson, who wrote the introduction, was himself a legendary architect who designed the famous Glass House in Connecticut and Manhattan's AT&T Building (now 550 Madison Avenue), making him uniquely qualified to contextualize the book's content.