The structures around us are born from breathtaking human ingenuity. Once you hear their secret stories, you’ll never see your world in the same way again.
 
Imagine you woke up one morning, and everything created by engineers had disappeared. What would you see? No cars, no houses; no phones, bridges, or roads. No tunnels under tidal rivers, no soaring skyscrapers. The impact that engineering has on the human experience is undeniable, but it is also often invisible.
In Built, star structural engineer Roma Agrawal explains how construction has evolved from the mud huts of our ancestors to skyscrapers of steel that reach into the sky. She unearths how humans have tunneled through solid mountains, bridged the widest of rivers, and tamed nature’s precious and elusive water resources. She tells vivid tales of the visionaries who created the groundbreaking materials used in the Pantheon’s record-holding dome and the Eiffel Tower’s giant wind-resisting frame. Through the lens of an engineer, Agrawal examines tragedies like the collapse of the Quebec Bridge, highlighting the precarious task of ensuring people’s safety, which engineers hold at every step. With colorful stories of her fascination with buildings—and her own hand-drawn illustrations—Agrawal reveals the extraordinary secret lives of structures.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
Roma Agrawal is a structural engineer who builds BIG—bridges, sculptures, train stations, and skyscrapers, including the Shard, western Europe’s tallest tower. A promoter of technical careers to young people, she has advised policymakers on science education. Her awards include the Institution of Structural Engineers’ Young Structural Engineer of the Year Award and the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Rooke Award. She lives in London. romatheengineer.com • @RomaTheEngineer