We spend most of our lives in buildings. We make our homes in them. We go to school in them. We work in them. But why and how did people start making buildings? How did they learn to make them stronger, bigger, and more comfortable? Why did they start to decorate them in different ways? From the pyramid erected so that an Egyptian pharaoh would last forever to the dramatic, machine-like Pompidou Center designed by two young architects, Patrick Dillon's stories of remarkable buildings--and the remarkable people who made them--celebrates the ingenuity of human creation. Stephen Biesty's extraordinarily detailed illustrations take us inside famous buildings throughout history and demonstrate just how these marvelous structures fit together.

Building a house -- The pyramid of Djoser -- The temples of Greece -- The Parthenon -- The Romans -- Hagia Sophia -- A white robe of churches -- Notre-Dame Cathedral -- Buildings around the world -- The Forbidden City -- The Renaissance in Europe -- Villa Rotonda -- The Taj Mahal -- The baroque in Europe -- Vaux-Le-Vicomte -- Melk Abbey -- Saint Petersburg -- Living in the past -- The Crystal Palace -- Modern buildings -- The Bauhaus -- The United States -- The Chrysler Building -- The international style -- The Sydney Opera House -- The Pompidou Center -- The Straw Bale House.