This book tells the story of how the Design-and-Build team of ALPINE, NUSSLI, and gmp · von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects succeeded in completing the 'Wonder of Baku' in less than ten months of planning and construction time. Baku, the cosmopolitan port city on the Caspian Sea, has built on its earlier role as an economic and cultural centre on the edge of the Caucasus. The city has been experiencing a renaissance since Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991, after its rise at the very beginning of the twentieth century during the first oil boom. Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 brought Baku the Crystal Hall, a spectacular indoor arena at the end of the picturesque boulevard that runs along the bay. Owing to its expressive architecture and its crystalline media façade, it is already regarded as a new landmark of the 'City of Winds'.