Dwelling on Earth

A sweeping history of humanity’s most fundamental creation—the home—and its effects on the land, cities, and people themselves.

From tiny pit–houses in the Levant and Mesoamerica thousands of years ago to soaring skyscrapers in Dubai, New York, and Shanghai today, Dwelling on Earth takes listeners on a swift and absorbing tour of the evolution of human habitation. Architectural historian and urban planner Stefan Al weaves together archaeology, engineering, social history, and environmental science to explain how our homes—the spaces in which we spend half our lives—developed through the ages and how they shaped civilization. Whisking listeners from ancient Pompeii to contemporary Hong Kong, industrial–age Liverpool to postwar Levittown, Al shows how our choices in housing have both reflected and affected ideas about gender roles, privacy, and comfort. He explores architectural developments—like doorknockers, corridors, and insulation—and details how the quest for housing has had severe consequences for the environment. Finally, he examines the myths and reality of future housing, including 3D–printed homes and space architecture built by robots.