Author: Seamus McGraw Publisher: Univ of TX + ORM ISBN: 1477322639 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 257
Book Description
A history of the American mass shooter since 1966, and an analysis of how the nation makes sense of the senseless violence. We, as a nation, have become desensitized to the shock and pain in the wake of mass shootings. In the bottomless silence between gunshots, as political stalemate ensures inaction, the killing continues; the dying continues. From a Taller Tower attends to the silence that has left us empty in the aftermath of these atrocities. Veteran journalist Seamus McGraw chronicles the rise of the mass shooter to dismantle the myths we have constructed around the murderers and ourselves. In 1966, America’s first mass shooter, from atop the University of Texas tower, unleashed a new reality: the fear that any of us may be targeted by a killer, and the complicity we bear in granting these murderers the fame or infamy they crave. Addressing individual cases in the epidemic that began in Austin, From a Taller Tower bluntly confronts our obsession with the shooters?and explores the isolation, narcissism, and sense of victimhood that fan their obsessions. Drawing on the experiences of survivors and first responders as well as the knowledge of mental health experts, McGraw challenges the notion of the “good guy with a gun,” the idolization of guns (including his own), and the reliability of traumatized memory. Yet in this terrible history, McGraw reminds us of the humanity that can stop the killing and the dying. “An important and extraordinary book that takes us into the mind of the mass shooter and also explores our own complicity in the numbing tragedies that have become far too routine in America. Still, Seamus McGraw manages to leave us with hope that there’s a way out of the despair.” —Perri Pelitz, director and producer, Axios on HBO “A meditative history of mass murder by gunfire. . . . A memorable, necessary contribution to the national conversation on gun violence.” —Kirkus Reviews “[From a Taller Tower] traces the history of the American mass shooter and the troubling ways we make sense of senseless violence . . . There’s a tragic timeliness to McGraw’s book.” —InsideHook “One of the most important books you can read this or any year. It’s impossible to read this work without nodding or wincing or even crying.” —Patrick Skinner, detective, Savannah, Georgia “From a Taller Tower is a careful, even cathartic, look at mass shooters and the culture that ushers them forth. McGraw dispels the myths “forged in gunfire” with a riveting examination of the before, during, and after of mass shootings.” —Amye Archer, co-editor, If I Don’t Make It, I Love You: Survivors in the Aftermath of School Shootings
Author: David Parker Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1136258035 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 932
Book Description
As the ever-changing skylines of cities all over the world show, tall buildings are an increasingly important solution to accommodating growth more sustainably in today’s urban areas. Whether it is residential, a workplace or mixed use, the tower is both a statement of intent and the defining image for the new global city. The Tall Buildings Reference Book addresses all the issues of building tall, from the procurement stage through the design and construction process to new technologies and the building’s contribution to the urban habitat. A case study section highlights the latest, the most innovative, the greenest and the most inspirational tall buildings being constructed today. A team of over fifty experts in all aspects of building tall have contributed to the making of the Tall Buildings Reference Book, creating an unparalleled source of information and inspiration for architects, engineers and developers.
Author: Kylie Burns Publisher: ISBN: 9781549080098 Category : Structural engineering Languages : en Pages : 24
Book Description
"Towers are tall, narrow structures used for many purposes, from measuring and predicting weather to offering a bird's-eye view of surroundings. This interesting book takes children through the engineering design process, giving them an inside look at how engineers design towers to suit specific purposes and hold steady in different environments. Reader-centered examples illustrate concepts for children, and a model-building activity allows them to design their own tower solution."--
Author: Jay Pridmore Publisher: Pomegranate ISBN: 9780764920219 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 72
Book Description
The Nation's Largest Retailer wanted the largest headquarters in the nation, and they got it -- in spades. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the 110-story, anodized aluminum-clad Sears Tower occupies three acres in the West Loop. The bundled-tube construction allowed for more windows and more corner offices per square foot. The total area within the Tower is 4.4 million square feet; the Sky Deck on the 103rd floor offers tremendous views and welcomes more than 1 million visitors yearly. When SOM realized that their design was only ten stories short of what was supposed to be the record-breaking height of the World Trade Center then under construction (1,368 feet), they broke the record, coming in at 1,454 feet. The move of Sears and Roebuck employees into the Tower was the biggest corporate move in American history. In the late 1980s Sears and Roebuck left the building, but it continues to thrive, a timeless monument to American ingenuity.
Author: Neal Bascomb Publisher: Crown ISBN: 0385506619 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 362
Book Description
The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America. In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born. Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City. Each man desired to build the city’s tallest building, or ‘skyscraper.’ Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival. Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century. By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building. Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street. From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time. Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building. This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler’s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building. Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail, Higher brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.
Author: Henriette Steiner Publisher: MIT Press ISBN: 0262043920 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 247
Book Description
A cultural history of gigantism in architecture and digital culture, from the Eiffel Tower to the World Trade Center. The gigantic is everywhere, and gigantism is manifest in everything from excessively tall skyscrapers to globe-spanning digital networks. In this book, Henriette Steiner and Kristin Veel map and critique the trajectory of gigantism in architecture and digital culture—the convergence of tall buildings and networked infrastructures—from the Eiffel Tower to One World Trade Center. They show how these two forms of gigantism intersect in the figure of the skyscraper with a transmitting antenna on its roof, a gigantic building that is also a nodal point in a gigantic digital infrastructure. Steiner and Veel focus on two paradigmatic tower sites: the Eiffel Tower and the Twin Towers of the destroyed World Trade Center (as well as their replacement, the One World Trade Center tower). They consider, among other things, philosophical interpretations of the Eiffel Tower; the design and destruction of the Twin Towers; the architectural debates surrounding the erection of One World Trade Center on the Ground Zero site; and such recent examples of gigantism across architecture and digital culture as Rem Koolhaas's headquarters for China Central TV and the phenomenon of the “tech giant.” Examining the cultural, architectural, and media history of these towers, they analyze the changing conceptions of the gigantism that they represent, not just as physical structures but as sites for the projection of cultural ideas and ideals.
Author: Brandon Rowell Publisher: Brandon Rowell ISBN: Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 255
Book Description
The Tall Tower by Brandon Rowell is a captivating retelling of the biblical story of the Tower of Babel. Set in a world where people dream of reaching the heavens, the story follows a community that comes together to build a tower that will touch the sky. As the tower grows taller, so too do the ambitions, fears, and conflicts of those involved. Brandon skillfully weaves a tale that explores the human desire for greatness, the challenges of communication, and the consequences of pride. Through vivid storytelling and rich character development, The Tall Tower delves into the dynamics of community, the power of unity, and the dangers of letting ambition overshadow empathy. This thought-provoking narrative offers readers a deeper understanding of the values that bind us together and the pitfalls that can tear us apart. Perfect for readers who enjoy mythology, spiritual reflections, and timeless stories with modern relevance, The Tall Tower is a poignant exploration of humanity's quest for purpose and the enduring power of connection.
Author: Mark Sarkisian Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1317501594 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 301
Book Description
This second edition of Designing Tall Buildings, an accessible reference to guide you through the fundamental principles of designing high-rises, features two new chapters, additional sections, 400 images, project examples, and updated US and international codes. Each chapter focuses on a theme central to tall-building design, giving a comprehensive overview of the related architecture and structural engineering concepts. Author Mark Sarkisian, PE, SE, LEED® AP BD+C, provides clear definitions of technical terms and introduces important equations, gradually developing your knowledge. Projects drawn from SOM’s vast portfolio of built high-rises, many of which Sarkisian engineered, demonstrate these concepts. This book advises you to consider the influence of a particular site's geology, wind conditions, and seismicity. Using this contextual knowledge and analysis, you can determine what types of structural solutions are best suited for a tower on that site. You can then conceptualize and devise efficient structural systems that are not only safe, but also constructible and economical. Sarkisian also addresses the influence of nature in design, urging you to integrate structure and architecture for buildings of superior performance, sustainability, and aesthetic excellence.
Author: Kheir Al-Kodmany Publisher: Taylor & Francis ISBN: 1317608666 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 271
Book Description
In recent years, the rapid pace of tall building construction has fostered a certain kind of placelessness, with many new tall buildings being built out of scale, context and place. By analyzing hundreds of tall buildings and by providing hundreds of visuals that inspire, stimulate and engage, Understanding Tall Buildings contends that well-designed tall buildings can rejuvenate cities, ignite economic activity, support social life and boost city pride. Although this book does not claim to possess all the solutions, it does propose specific tall building design guidelines that may help to promote placemaking. Through this work, it is the author’s hope that ill-conceived developments will become less common in the future and that good placemaking will become the norm, not the exception. This book is a must-read for students and practitioners working to create better tall buildings and better urban environments.
Author: René V. Cormier Publisher: ISBN: Category : Detectors Languages : en Pages : 32
Book Description
Research on vertically integrated boundary-layer winds applicable in Air Force paradrop operations required wind and temperature data taken on tall (higher than 250 ft) instrumented towers. The report represents findings from a search for such data. It provides an annotated listing of tall towers from which winds have been measured. The annotation consists of the following items when known: sensors used and their height; time periods over which measurements are averaged; data collection periods, format, and availability; other parameters concurrently measured on the tower; other boundary layer observations concurrently taken within a radius of about 20 mi; a listing of some studies using the data; and other pertinent information. (Author).
Author: Seamus McGraw
Author: David Parker
Author: Kylie Burns
Author: Jay Pridmore
Author: Neal Bascomb
Author: Henriette Steiner
Author: Brandon Rowell
Author: Mark Sarkisian
Author: Kheir Al-Kodmany
Author: René V. Cormier