A photographic survey of the world's most innovative contemporary skyscrapers. Jam-packed with hundreds of specially commissioned photographs accompanied by a lively, authoritative text by internationally renowned architectural experts, this essential resource on the world's most important new structures traces the evolution of these lofty behemoths. Whisking readers around the world, New Urban Giants tells the story of the design and building of 31 remarkable structures, from corporate headquarters to residential towers to state-of-the-art luxury hotels. The text places each in its historical context, revealing the technological advances that made each building possible, and the social and economic climate that made each necessary. Hundreds of close-up photographs, panoramic shots, and architects' plans demonstrate the innovations that make each of these structures a pivotal element of their city's skyline and in the ever-evolving history of the skyscraper. Readers tour the HSB Turning Tower in Malmo, Sweden, the design of which is based on a sculpture by Santiago Calatrava. Photographs reveal the unique incremental angles that occur from the ground floor to the top floor, resulting in the top floor twisting 90 degrees from the ground floor. Other ground-breaking structures highlighted include the sleek New York Times Tower in Manhattan, Highcliff?a 75-story residential tower in Hong Kong, and Aurora Place in Sydney, Australia with its unusual geometric shape wherein no panel is parallel to any grid. Taking readers from Dubai to Tokyo to Vienna, this is an architectural tour not to be missed by professional architects and design enthusiasts alike. AUTHOR: Antonino Terranova is Director of the Department of Architecture at the University of Rome where he teaches Architectural and Urban Planning Composition. Gianpaola Spirito is a Visiting Professor of Theories of Contemporary Architectural Research at the First Faculty of Architecture in Rome. 250 colour photographs
