As demand for housing has increased at a rapid pace in China, it has happened that architects, builders and developers simply imitate designs from the West in order to put up new housing developments as quickly as possible. The result is housing that works but lacks originality and gives little scope for rising Chinese architects and developers to flex their creative muscles. In the Surmount series notable mid-rise and high-rise buildings from leading world cities such as London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo are highlighted and analysed, pointing out which aspects are useful to be incorporated in Chinese designs, as well as where it would be better for local designs to differ. Each of the two books has its own focus, one mid-rise and multi floor buildings and the other skyscrapers, with eighty-four buildings extensively profiled in each volume. The profiles include exterior and interior photographs, architectural drawings, floor plans and detailed descriptions and analyses. ILLUSTRATIONS: Colour photographs
