How Did They Build That?

Synopsis

An exploration of how some of the world's biggest man-made structures were built.

First Air Date: 2021-01-03

Last Air Date: 2025-10-05

Number of Seasons: 4

Number of Episodes: 38

Networks: Smithsonian Channel

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Jay Ellis as Self - Host

Seasons

Season 1 (2021) - (8 Episodes)

Season 2 (2022) - (10 Episodes)

Season 3 (2024) - (10 Episodes)

Season 4 (2025) - (10 Episodes)

Season 1 (2021)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Cantilevers & Lifts (2021-01-03)

A Manhattan skyscraper designed to appear as if gust of wind could topple it over. A Paris museum described as an engineer's "jigsaw puzzle from hell," with 3,500 individually designed glass panels. And a cliffside elevator in Zhangjiajie so remotely located, it had to be built entirely by hand. Join us as we travel the globe to witness astonishing structures that pushed architecture and the laws of physics to the edge. Then meet the brilliant minds who designed and built these wonders and discover the stories behind their construction.
Ep. 2: Towers & Roofs (2021-01-10)

A bent Manhattan building that actually caused panic in the streets. A cultural center in Athens that features a massive floating roof in an earthquake zone. A university complex in stifling Singapore that was built without air conditioning. In this episode, we examine the American Copper Building, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, and "The Hive" at Nanyang Technical University, meeting the brilliant minds who designed and built them, and revealing their engineering secrets.
Ep. 3: Biomes & Rebuilds (2021-01-17)

From a logistical railway nightmare to an indoor tropical dreamscape, watch engineers and builders complete the impossible.
Ep. 4: Viaducts & Hotels (2021-01-24)

Travel to a French valley, a Shanghai quarry, and the middle of Milan and witness architectural and engineering wonders.
Ep. 5: Supertalls & Firehouses (2021-01-31)

Watch architectural and engineering minds defy gravity and create artistic wonders in Belgium, Scotland, and Manhattan.
Ep. 6: Arches & Opera Houses (2021-02-14)

Take a trip to Rotterdam, Guangzhou, and London and witness astounding feats of design and engineering.
Ep. 7: Sky Gardens & Seismic Stations (2021-02-21)

Witness a garden in the sky, a pier in the clouds, and a railway station that laughs in the face of natural disasters.
Ep. 8: Arctic Modules & Auditoria (2021-02-28)

Travel to Antarctica, Scotland, and the Canary Islands and witness wonders of engineering and design.