How Was That Built?

Roma Agrawal is a structural engineer who builds big. From footbridges and sculptures, to train stations and skyscrapers - including The Shard - she has left an indelible mark on London's landscape.She is a tireless promoter of engineering and technical careers to young people, particularly under-represented groups such as women. She has advised policymakers and governments on science education, and has given talks to thousands around the world at universities, schools and organisations including two for TEDx. Roma has been awarded international awards for her technical prowess and success in promoting the profession, including the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering's Rooke Award. Roma has published articles on engineering, education and leadership, as well as being a television presenter. Roma is soon to appear on LEGO Masters on Channel 4, putting her engineering knowledge to use in judging structures built solely from LEGO. BUILT is her first book.romatheengineer.com / @RomaTheEngineerKatie Hickey is a talented rising star in children's illustration, and has illustrated several books including How Was That Built?

'From the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge to building on the moon, this utterly fascinating and visually stunning book is sure to build sky-scraping curiosity in young engineers' Kate Pankhurst, author of the Fantastically Great Women series'I adored reading How Was That Built? with my son. The fascinating facts and huge detailed pictures led to lots of interesting conversations for both of us. You will never take buildings for granted again!' David Walliams, comedian and children's authorAs seen on Steph's Packed Lunch and featured in Cerys Matthew's BBC Radio 6 Music show and 'The Dreams We Live Inside' on BBC Radio 4Join Roma Agrawal, the award-winning structural engineer who worked on The Shard, for an exciting behind-the-scenes look at some of the world's most amazing landmarks.Meet the extraordinary people who challenged our beliefs about what's possible, pioneering remarkable inventions that helped build the Brooklyn Bridge in the US, the Pantheon in Italy, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Shard in England and the Sapporo Dome in Japan. Discover the ingenious methods engineers have come up with to enable us to build underground, underwater, on ice and even in space. And learn about the impact different forces and materials can have on a structure by carrying out your own engineering experiments from the 'Try it at Home' sections.Beautiful and detailed illustrations by Katie Hickey, including cross-sections, skylines and close-ups of engineering techniques in action, provide unique and illuminating perspectives of our most awe-inspiring constructions. Get ready to see the built world around you like never before!'Exploring this beautiful book feels like having a conversation with Roma, full of expert insight and fascinating detail. With playful illustrations, stacks of brand-new information and plenty of context - this is children's non-fiction at its best' Isabel Thomas, science writer and author of Moth and Fox'Skilfully illustrated and filled with remarkable details, this book is a treat for any young engineer. Roma's breadth of knowledge and genuine passion shines through every page. It's simply beautiful' Angela Saini, science journalist and author'Open this book at any page and you are immediately sucked into the fascination of how things work - a wonderful achievement and a beautiful one too' Mark Miodownik, materials engineer, broadcaster and author of Stuff Matters'How Was That Built? is a brilliant and essential book . Hopefully schools and libraries will purchase the book in big numbers because it deserves to be widely read and discussed. I also think it will do a lot to encourage young people to consider a career in construction' Infrastructure-Intelligence.com

The world is full of incredible structures. Skyscrapers soaring up to the clouds, bridges reaching across the widest, deepest rivers, tunnels boring deep into the earth . But have you ever stopped to wonder how they were built?

Each chapter focuses on a specific engineering challenge, such as how to build tall or how to build long, transforming this often daunting subject into something exciting and accessible