Jason Barr is a professor of economics at Rutgers University Newark and one of the world's foremost experts on the economics of skyscrapers. His new book, out May 14, 2024, is Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers. In it, Barr takes a global view of why the quest to build up is as fierce as ever, and why skyscrapers remain so controversial. Join the Unfrozen interview with Barr, in which some record-breaking myths get busted.
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Intro/Outro: “Altitude Blues,” by Ladytron
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Discussed:
Mythbusting the Home Insurance Building
First Skyscrapers | Skyscraper Firsts Forum
LeRoy Buffington’s skyscraper patent
Mythbusting The Skyscraper Index
Joel Garreau’s Edge City
Emaar’s real estate play at Burj Khalifa: Downtown Dubai
Legends Tower, Oklahoma City
China’s “build it” economy
Nashville and Oracle
Detroit and Dan Gilbert
Newark renaissance
Center City District (Philadelphia) study: Downtowns
Rebound
Karen Seto
(Yale)'s studies on tall building height canopies
Listen On
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