There was Babylon and Nineveh; they were built of brick. Athens was gold marble columns. Rome was held up on broad arches of rubble. In Constantinople the minarets flame like great candles round the Golden Horn… Steel, glass, tile, concrete will be the materials of the skyscraper. Crammed on the narrow island the millionwindowed buildings will just glittering, pyramid on pyramid like the white cloudhead above a thunderstorm.
The text contrasts the architectural grandeur of ancient cities with the modern innovations of the early 20th century. It highlights how Babylon and Nineveh were constructed from brick, while Athens is noted for its gold marble columns. Similarly, Rome's strength lies in its broad arches, and Constantinople is portrayed with its spectacular minarets encircling the Golden Horn, evoking a sense of historical beauty and uniqueness in each civilization's construction style.
In sharp contrast, the excerpt envisions the future of architecture with skyscrapers made from steel, glass, tiles, and concrete. These structures are described as densely packed on a narrow island, shining brightly like pyramids of windows that rise into the air, resembling a white cloud formation above a thunderstorm. This imagery evokes the relentless progress of urbanization and modernization, suggesting a shift from traditional durability to the gleaming heights of contemporary buildings.