Supertall

“The sheer volume of calculation required to build and keep [supertalls] aloft and functioning is astounding. Al…explains these esoteric technical challenges in lucid fashion…[T]he story of what’s come about in the age of the supertall is gripping.” – Anthony Paletta - The Wall Street Journal“A thoughtful inquiry into the new generations of skyscrapers…There is a lot of rich history here, well and concisely told (and illustrated with superb line drawings, a refreshing change).” – Paul Goldberger - The New York Times Book Review“Stefan Al draws on the exhilarating history of skyscrapers and his own work as an architect for some of the iconic Supertall structures that are transforming cities around the globe. He then warns us about the environmental and socioeconomic repercussions of this recent phenomenon. The result is a fascinating and necessary book.” – Gwendolyn Wright, author of USA: Modern Architectures in History and Professor Emerita, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University“In Supertall, Stefan Al turns the jumbled skylines of our biggest cities into a powerful story of human possibility. Looking to both past and future, this astonishing synthesis reveals how skyscrapers have made us who we are and can help us become” – Andrew Blum, best-selling author of Tubes and The Weather Machine

Stefan Al, a licensed architect who holds a PhD in urban planning from the University of California, Berkeley, is the author of Supertall and The Strip, among other works. Originally from the Netherlands, he now lives with his family in a 100–year–old house in New Jersey.