Dwelling on Earth

From tiny pit-houses in the Levant and Mesoamerica thousands of years ago to soaring skyscrapers in Dubai, New York and Shanghai today, Dwelling on Earth takes readers on an absorbing tour of the evolution of human habitation. Stefan Al weaves together archaeology, engineering, social history and environmental science to explain how our homes—the spaces in which we spend half our lives—developed through the ages and how they shaped civilisation. Whisking readers from ancient Pompeii to contemporary Hong Kong, industrial-age Liverpool to post-war Levittown, Al shows how our choices in housing have both reflected and affected ideas about gender roles, privacy and comfort. He explores architectural developments—like doorknockers, corridors and insulation—and details how the quest for housing has had severe consequences for the environment. Finally, he examines the myths and reality of future housing, including 3D-printed homes and space architecture built by robots.

Stefan Al’s Supertall was praised as:

• “A thoughtful inquiry into the new generations of skyscrapers…There is a lot of rich history here, well and concisely told (and illustrated with superb line drawings, a refreshing change).” — Paul Goldberger, The New York Times Book Review
• “The sheer volume of calculation required to build and keep [supertalls] aloft and functioning is astounding. Al...explains these esoteric technical challenges in lucid fashion...[T]he story of what’s come about in the age of the supertall is gripping.” — Anthony Paletta, The Wall Street Journal