From their birthplace in Chicago in the late 1880s, to their post-war bloom on the skyline in New York, this episode chronicles the emergence of the world's first skyscrapers.
After the depression and WWII, corporate America was on the rise and needed tall buildings to reflect and foster prosperity. America's skyscraper model soon found a home for itself in skylines around the globe.
Beginning in the early 1970s with the building of the World Trade Center and the Sears Willis Tower, this episode highlights the development of new innovations and the emergence of the mirrored glass skyscraper.
For architecture to remain relevant, it must also reflect a sense of place. This episode looks at how the events of 9/11 impacted the skyscraper industry, and the push towards energy efficient, 'green' architecture.
Plots the rise of residential apartments and mixed-use towers around the globe, the popularisation of the observation deck, and explores how skyscrapers have become micro-cities in their own right.
Even at 828m, the Burj Khalifa did not bring an end to the race for the sky. This episode examines how cities will function in the future, where nearly any skyscraper design will be possible.