Henry George Lecture to Focus on Skyscrapers

What is driving the global rise in skyscrapers?

Jason M. Barr, M.F.A., Ph.D., Professor of Economics at Rutgers University-Newark, will lead the discussion to answer this question during the Henry George Chair in Economics lecture on April 14, “Cities in the Sky: What’s Driving the Global Rise in Skyscrapers?” The event, to be held from 1:50 to 3:30 p.m. in room 206 of the D’Angelo Center, will be available via Webex.

Ever since the first tall buildings appeared in New York and Chicago at the end of the 19th century, they have been controversial. Yet, skyscrapers are becoming taller and more numerous. 

Dr. Barr will discuss the economics, technology, and policies behind the world’s tallest buildings. He will also explain the early history that gave rise to urban giants like the Empire State Building, and then discuss the economics of tall buildings in the 21st century, why global cities are building so many of them, and where they might be headed in the future. He will also discuss some common myths and misconceptions about tall buildings, as well as his research on “myth busting.”

Dr. Barr is a professor of economics at Rutgers University-Newark, and an affiliated member of the Rutgers Global Urban Systems Ph.D. program. His research areas are urban economics and real estate economics. Dr. Barr earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University; an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College; and a Ph.D. in Economics from Columbia University.

Dr. Barr is the author of Building the Skyline: The Birth and Growth of Manhattan’s Skyscrapers (OUP, 2016) and Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers (Scribner 2014). His research has been featured in The Washington Post, the Economist, on Curbed.com, and in the Architectural Record. His writings have appeared in The New York Times, StarTrek.com, Dezeen.com, Scientific American, and the Irish Independent. He currently writes the Skynomics Blog, a blog about skyscrapers, cities, and economics.

RVSPs are appreciated for the in-person lecture and are required for access to the WebEx webinar at the Henry George website.