film

This documentary from 2006 charts the birth of the American skyscraper and the pivotal role in it played by the architect Louis Sullivan. Known as "the father of the skyscraper", Sullivan pioneered a uniquely American architectural style that broke definitively away from European traditions. He coined the maxim "form follows function", prioritised simplicity and purpose in design and influenced generations upon generations of architects, not least his protégé Frank Lloyd Wright.

The documentary takes archival images and film, music and a gently poetic narrative structure to bring out the, perhaps under-appreciated, beauty and innovation of the early skyscrapers, celebrating the artistry and functionality of iconic edifices such as the Wainwright Building in St Louis and the Guaranty Building in Buffalo.