Skyscrapers: How America Grew Up

VOYA

Anyone who has marveled at Sears Tower in Chicago wondered how it keeps from toppling over and how long it takes to get from the bottom to the top floor will be fascinated by the information presented in this book. The author points out that although tall structures have been around since the Egyptian pyramids, it was not until industry became more centralized and people wanted to live closer to where they worked that there was a need for skyscrapers. In relating the history of these tall buildings, Severance explains that the elevator, sophisticated plumbing, and air-conditioning were necessary innovations that contributed to the development of these structures. The major architectural schools of thought and introductions to important architects, such as Daniel Burnham and Frank Lloyd Wright, also are discussed. Photos of some recognizable skyscrapers, such as the Empire State Building in New York City and Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with information on their design and construction, enhance the text. Interesting sidelights in the book include a discussion of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 and its influence on building and an explanation of how architects keep tall buildings from swaying in high winds. Budding engineers and architects are sure to enjoy this book. Black-and-white photographs illustrate the architectural concepts discussed. Researchers needing information on modern architects and engineering innovations will find this book easy to understand and informative. Index. Illus. Photos. Biblio. Source Notes. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P M J (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8;Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2000, Holiday House, 112p, . Ages 12 to 15. Reviewer: Chris Carlson SOURCE: VOYA, April 2001 (Vol. 24, No.1)

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

As you approach Chicago from the suburbs, you are struck by the massive skyscrapers that dominate its lakeshore setting. In New York, the Empire State Building remains one of the great tourist attractions in that bustling city. People continue to be both awed and amazed at the sheer scope of the skyscrapers that are situated in some of our nation's cities. These huge towers of glass, steel, and masonry are testaments to the advances in materials and design that occurred during the twentieth century. Yet, skyscrapers existed in the nineteenth century and have their roots in the ancient wonders of the world. It is the story of the development of these modern towers that is told in this architectural study. As cities such as New York and Chicago grew into commercial dynamos it became apparent that limitations of valuable space could only be overcome by building vertically. The invention of emergency brakes for elevators, plumping that could function at high altitude and illumination techniques that could make office and living space adaptable all contributed to the birth and development of skyscrapers. Eventually, it became possible to create veritable cities within cities in urban skyscrapers. A person can live, work, shop, and access services all within one monolithic center. Readers with an interest in architecture are sure to enjoy this amply illustrated and well-researched book. 2000, Holiday House, Ages 10 up, $18.95. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck—Children's Literature

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-Severance takes readers on a leisurely stroll through the history of American skyscrapers and the technologies that enabled their construction, visiting various schools of architecture and several famous buildings along the way. While some modern structures like the Sears Tower, World Trade Center, Citicorp Building, and Transamerica Pyramid are included, emphasis is on 19th- and early-20th century engineering and architecture. Important and often unheralded innovations like the steam elevator and safety brake and the role of fire safety codes in building design are amply covered. Chicago and New York, credited as "the incubators of the modern skyscraper," provide the setting for most of the narrative action. Biographical tidbits on some notable architects and engineers are woven into the narrative. Black-and-white archival and current photographs of structures and occasional portraits appear throughout. Skyscrapers is more suitable for browsers and history buffs than for students seeking hard data; this is not the source to consult for specific structural information. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating account of these highly visible structures that have had a profound effect on the way people live and work.-Mary Ann Carcich, Suffolk County Community College Library, Riverhead, NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

C V. Rodberg

As a story Skyscrapers is gripping. One feels a chill of fear from the inside drama of how the Citicorp Center in Manhattan came a hurricane away from collapsing, and a thrill of triumph for the architect and the consulting engineer who saved it. Severance also manages to make architectural theory seem both relevant and understandable, particularly in his narrative on the origins and excesses of the International style.
—New York Times Book Review

Kirkus Reviews

This informative history of modern skyscrapers may not attract many young readers. Beginning with the pyramids, Severance (Einstein, 1999, etc.) traces the history of tall buildings worldwide with particular emphasis on the US. He links technical advances, inventions, economic conditions, and social forces. For example, three factors were necessary for the development of multistory buildings: Otis invented the safety-brake, steam-powered elevator in the 1850s; plumbing technology permitted installation of bathrooms in upper floors; and the waterfront area of New York City needed more office space. Short biographical information about the lives and accomplishments of the inventors and the builders put the buildings in a historical context. Severance describes many of the problems related to these huge buildings. At the Sears Tower in Chicago, it took half an hour for some people to get from street level to their offices. The Hancock Tower in Boston had glass windows and doors pop out in high winds. Cost-cutting at the Citicorp building in New York City caused a major reconstruction to avoid building collapse in a hurricane. St. Peter's church built into the Citicorp building created major design problems. Severance describes the innovative construction techniques to overcome the problems but unfortunately neglects to mention the important work of sculptor Louise Nevelson in the interior design of the church. A bibliography and index are helpful. Words are descriptive, but interesting illustrations would have brought the text alive. Black-and-white exterior images of buildings do not do it. (Nonfiction. 10-12)