Supertall : W.W. Norton and Company : 9781324052098 : 1324052090 : 28 Jul 2023 : We are living in a new urban age, and its most tangible expression is the ?supertall?: megastructures that are dramatically bigger, higher, and more ambitious than any in history.Cities around the world are racing to build the first mile-high building, stretching the limits of engineering and design as never before.In this fascinating work of urban history and design, TED resident Stefan Al?himself an experienced architect?explores the factors that have led to this worldwide boom. He reveals the marvelous and underappreciated feats of engineering that make today's supertalls a reality, from double-decker elevators that silently move up to 50 miles per hour to the sophisticated blend of polymers and steel fibers that enables concrete to withstand 8,000 tons of pressure per square meter. Taking readers behind the scenes of the building and design of remarkable megastructures, both from the past (the Empire S