Description:
A gifted architect, Philip Corta, has the opportunity of a lifetime-the design of the Eden Center, a major office/residential complex on New York's West Side. The project endures many setbacks brought on by an arrogant developer, corruption in City Hall, sabotage and murder by organized criminals, and recurring uncertainties about financing. Mafia-like figures try to sabotage the construction to profit from their "protection." A single-minded architect, Philip Corta, finds aesthetic compromise difficult and backers financing the project create other obstacles for the project. Anxiety and doubt simmer and invade relationships including the architect and his wife, Diane.Nevertheless, construction proceeds more or less on schedule until . . . .
Brief description: Matthys Levy is author or co-author of several other highly acclaimed books, including the classic Why Buildings Fall Down, but this is his first novel. Building Eden is a story of intrigue and suspense that he is uniquely qualified to write, thanks to a lifetime of experience in the structural design and construction of major buildings around the world. He knows the processes involved, and the dangers to avoid.Levy's credits as structural designer include several New York landmarks: the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History, the Javits Convention Center, and the Marriott Marquis Hotel.