Prairie Skyscraper

Prairie Skyscraper traces the history and evolution of Wright's recently restored nineteen-story-skyscraper masterwork, which takes its place beside the S.C. Johnson Wax Research Tower as one of Wright's only two vertical structures-and, at 221 feet tall-his largest.

Of all building types, the skyscraper strikes observers as the most modern, in terms not only of height but also of boldness, scale, ingenuity, and daring. As a phenomenon born in late nineteenth-century America, it quickly became emblematic of New York, Chicago, and other major cities. Previous studies of these structures have tended to foreground examples of more evincing modernist approaches, while those with styles reminiscent of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe were initially disparaged as being antimodernist or were simply unacknowledged. Skyscraper Gothic brings together a group of renowned scholars to address the medievalist skyscraper—from flying buttresses to dizzying spires; from the Chicago Tribune Tower to the Woolworth Building in Manhattan. Drawing on archival evidence and period texts to uncover the ways in which patrons and architects came to understand the Gothic as a historic style, the authors explore what the appearance of Gothic forms on radically new buildings meant urbanistically, architecturally, and socially, not only for those who were involved in the actual conceptualization and execution of the projects but also for the critics and the general public who saw the buildings take shape. Contributors: Lisa Reilly on the Gothic skyscraper ● Kevin Murphy on the Trinity and U.S. Realty Buildings ● Gail Fenske on the Woolworth Building ● Joanna Merwood-Salisbury on the Chicago School ● Katherine M. Solomonson on the Tribune Tower ● Carrie Albee on Atlanta City Hall ● Anke Koeth on the Cathedral of Learning ● Christine G. O'Malley on the American Radiator Building

'Frank Lloyd wright in New York: The Plaza Years, 1954-1959', examines the momentous five-year period when one of the world's greatest architects and one of the world's greatest cities coexisted. Authors Jane Hession and Debra Prickel bring each of these unequalled characters to life, exploring the fascinating contradiction between Wright's often-voiced disdain of New York and his pride and pleasure of living in one of the city's greatest landmarks: the Plaza Hotel. From his suite, or 'Taliesin the Third', as it became known, Wright supervised construction of the Guggenheim, sparred with the New York press, and received many famous vistitors such as Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. home...;Michael Carroll, a renowned astronomical and paleo artist for more than twenty years, has done work for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His art has appeared in many magazines, including 'Time', 'National Geographic', 'Sky & Telescope', and ' Asimov's Science Fiction'. One of his paintings flew aboard MIR; another is resting at the bottom of the Atlantic, aboard Russia's ill-fated Mars 96 spacecraft. nd development without constraining

In the past, the ""elevator"" was an even more important part of farm life than it is today. It was a place where the farmer could sell his crops and buy just about everything he needed to produce them. It usually included a mill that produced animal feed, and in the more distant past often also produced flour. A Gallery of Michigan Grain Elevators and Mills provides a look at both the variety of mills and elevators serving Michigan Farmers today and those that served rural communities in the past. Many of the photos are very recent, while others dating back to the 1960's and 70's are a record of structures long gone. Historical and technical details are provided wherever they are available. It is our hope that the reader will find this look at Michigan's rich variety of mills and elevators past and present both informative and enjoyable.

A study of the fiction of five early modern novelists -- Frank Norris, Hamlin Garland, Willa Cather, Sherwood Anderson, and Sinclair Lewis -- who reflect the conflicting values of a western past and an urban-industrial present.

Eco-Towers introduces readers to groundbreaking designs, most progressive projects, and innovative ways of thinking about a new generation of green skyscrapers that could provide solutions to crises the world faces today including climate change, depleting resources, deteriorating ecology, population increase, decreasing food supply, urban heat island effect, pollution, deforestation, and more. The book suggests that the eco-tower culminates the cultural and technological evolutions of the 21st century by building and improving on the experiences of earlier designs of skyscrapers and philosophies particularly green, sustainable, and ecological. It argues that the true green skyscraper is the one that engages successfully with its larger urban context by establishing symbiotic relationships with the social, economic, and environmental aspects. Since tall buildings are becoming larger and taller, serving greater number of people, and exerting higher demand on the environment and existing infrastructure, any improvements in their design and construction will significantly enhance urban conditions. The book elucidates how green skyscrapers better serve tenants, mitigate environmental impacts, and improve integration with the city infrastructure. It explains how skyscrapers’ long life cycle offers the greatest justifications for recycling precious resources, and makes it a worthwhile to employ green features in constructing new skyscrapers and retrofitting existing ones. Subsequently, the book explores new designs that are employing cutting-edge green technologies at a grand scale including water-saving technologies, solar panels, helical wind turbines, sunlight-sensing LED lights, rainwater catchment systems, graywater and blackwater recycling systems, seawater-powered air conditioning, and the like. In the future, new building materials and smart technologies will continue to offer innovative design approaches to sustainable tall buildings with new aesthetics, referred to as “eco-iconic” skyscrapers.