How Was That Built By Roma Agrawal And Katie Hickey — Review

The mysteries of structural engineering are revealed in this educational children’s book that adults will also enjoy

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Ithaa is an undersea restaurant situated 5 metres (16 ft) below sea level at Rangali Island in Alif Dhaal Atoll in the Republic of Maldives. It has a seating capacity of 14 people and offers a 270° panoramic underwater view. (Credit: Alexey Potov / Noblige / CC BY SA 2.5)

How do engineers adapt their building strategies to different types of soil? How was the Brooklyn Bridge built? What structure prevents an elevator from plunging to the bottom of an elevator shaft if the cable holding it up breaks? How was the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City saved from toppling over into the lake bed (and an ancient Aztec pyramid discovered in the process)? Or, for that matter, how was Ithaa, the world’s first undersea restaurant, constructed?

If you’ve ever pondered questions like these, then this is the book for you. Or for your kid, for that matter. Written by award-winning structural engineer, Roma Agrawal, who most famously built London’s Shard, How Was That Built? The Stories Behind Awesome Structures (Bloomsbury Children’s Books; 2021: Amazon US /Amazon UK) shares the secrets of how a variety of stunning structures and buildings were made. Separate chapters detail how to build strong, how to build tall, how to build flat, how to build long, how to build on water (or underwater), how to build underground, how to build on ice, how to build on the moon and so much more.