Hardcover · 10 × 15 in · 212 pages
Highrises: Art Deco
100 spectacular skyscrapers from the Roaring ’20s to the Great Depression
Photographs by Chris Hytha · Histories by Mark Houser
4.9170 reviewsOr pay over time with Klarna at checkout
- Ships from California, with tracking
- Arrives damaged? We replace it free, no questions asked
- Ships internationally via FedEx
- Sending it as a gift? Ship it straight to them at checkout
Backed by 393 Kickstarter supporters · Exhibited at the Chicago Architecture Center
Preview The Book
Info
-10” x 15” Hard Cover
-212 Pages
-Features 100 skyscrapers across 49 cities
The Book
Custom printed in an extra-large size (10" x 15") to show off details you can't see from the sidewalk, Highrises: Art Deco is a collection of Chris Hytha's unique close-up drone scan compositions of the tops of 100 historic buildings. See for yourself the craftsmanship and vision displayed in these technological marvels of a century ago. Each image stitches together dozens of drone photos to create a unique rendering that resembles an orthographic architectural elevation.
Each Highrise in the collection is accompanied by a story of the building and the people who built it by skyscraper historian Mark Houser, drawing on historic research and vintage newspaper coverage. Vital statistics like height, number of stories, architect, and year of completion round out the picture, along with supplemental illustrations of each building that show detailed entryways and massing.
4.9 out of 5, from 170 reader reviews
“Highrises took my love, appreciation, and knowledge of Art Deco buildings to the next level. It will be a staple in my house for years to come!”
Jackson D.
“Beautiful book. I bought it for a friend. It arrived within days in a sturdy box, well packaged.”
Kathryn N.
“This book is ‘eye candy’, page after page of exquisite photos of the topper-most architectural features of Art Deco buildings in New York and other major American cities…”
Jim V.
The book
Details you can’t see from the sidewalk
Chris Hytha photographed each tower floor by floor with a drone, then stitched dozens of shots into one head-on portrait of its crown, like an architect’s elevation drawing.
Skyscraper historian Mark Houser tells the story of every building and the people who built it, drawn from historic research and vintage newspaper coverage, with the vital stats: height, stories, architect and year.
Look inside
Every tower gets the full-page treatment
Each building gets a full-page portrait, its story and its vital stats, plus illustrations of its entryway and massing.
- A full-page drone portrait
- The building’s story
- Height, stories, architect and year
- Entryway and massing illustrations
How each portrait is made
A view you can’t get with your own eyes
Carbide & Carbon · Chicago · The cover
How each portrait is made
A view you can’t get with your own eyes
- 1
Scan floor by floor
The drone photographs each floor of the tower, up to the top of its crown.
- 2
Stitch one elevation
Dozens of shots are merged into a single high-resolution, head-on scan.
- 3
Finish by hand
Each image takes one to five hours of editing in Photoshop.
Inside the book
100 towers, 49 cities, coast to coast
Including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Detroit.
As seen at
The authors
An artist and a historian
Photographs
A Philadelphia artist and designer trained in Drexel University’s architecture program. He spent nearly three years photographing historic skyscrapers across the U.S. by drone.
Histories
An award-winning journalist, author and speaker who leads skyscraper tours in Pittsburgh. He also wrote MultiStories: 55 Antique Skyscrapers & the Business Tycoons Who Built Them.
Gifting
The gift for anyone who looks up
Ship it straight to them: just enter their address at checkout. It ships from California, so order early for the holidays.
Questions
Before you order
How much is shipping, and how fast is it?
Shipping is $5 within the U.S. Books ship from our warehouse in California with tracking, so delivery time depends on distance: recent orders reached Los Angeles in 2 days, New York in 5 and rural Vermont in 8.
Do you ship outside the U.S.?
Yes. International orders ship via FedEx, and shipping is calculated at checkout. A recent order reached the Netherlands in 5 days.
What if my book arrives damaged?
We’ll replace it at no charge, no questions asked. Email a photo of the damage to chris.hytha@gmail.com and we’ll send a new copy with tracking.
Can I return it?
We don’t offer refunds on books, but a damaged copy is always replaced free. If you ordered twice by mistake, email us and we’ll sort it out.
Can I get a signed copy?
Not at this time. The only signed copies were 100 numbered collector’s editions made for our Kickstarter backers.
How are the images made?
Chris photographs each floor of a building with a drone, stitches the shots into one high-resolution scan, then edits it in Photoshop to bring out the building’s character. Each image takes one to five hours to edit.
How big is it?
10 × 15 inches, hardcover, 212 pages. As one reader put it: “It is a physically large book so plan on that.”
