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The World's 20 Best Cities for Architecture Lovers

St. Petersburg, Russia: Rococo

The Rococo movement came about in the 18th century in France as a way to fight against the strict, symmetrical Baroque style that came before it. While both movements are known for their richly decorated architecture styles, Rococo has elements all of its own: think curves, pale colors, and secular, light-hearted themes. The style made its way across Europe , where it found favor with the female rulers in St. Petersburg. The Catherine Palace (commissioned by Catherine I and expanded by her daughter, Empress Elizabeth) is by far the most famous example in the area.

Brasília, Brazil: Futurism

When Juscelino Kubitschek became President of Brazil in 1956, he set forth a plan to build a new capital city in the barren center of the country—and thus, Brasília was born. He commissioned architect Oscar Niemeyer to help with the project; within a matter months, Niemeyer designed residential, commercial, and government buildings for the new town. Chief among them were the National Congress of Brazil, the Cathedral of Brasília , the residence of the President, and the Attorney General's office (pictured). The buildings—defined by the dynamic lines, use of materials like concrete and glass, and sharp contrasts typical of Futurism (a branch of Modernism)—give Brazil's capital a true sense of aesthetic unity.

Athens, Greece: Classical

Visiting the architecture and world-renowned ruins in Athens is like taking a step back in time to ancient Greece, where stonework dates back to 400 BC, temples are held up by centuries-old columns, and sculptures of deities are a common sighting. For perfect examples of Classical architecture, turn to the Temple of Hephaestus, Temple of Olympian Zeus, or the iconic Parthenon (pictured).

Budapest, Hungary: Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau came into fashion in Budapest in the late 19th century to early 20th century, and the city remains one of the best places to see the architectural style today. One can find curving forms, organic shapes, use of iron and glass, and colorful flourishes all over this stretch of the Danube, including the Gresham Palace, Hotel Gellért and spas (pictured), Museum of Applied Arts, and Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden.

Rome, Italy: Baroque

The Romans were known for being great innovators, so it should come as no surprise that the city of Rome has exemplified and adapted to pretty much every architectural style since the ancient Classical movement (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance—you name it). Today, the city is one of the biggest centers of 17th-century Baroque architecture, known for its grandiosity, opulence, and contrast between light and shadow. Visit Rome's St. Peter's Square, Santi Luca e Martina, or Trevi Fountain (pictured) to see the dramatic style in person.

Hanoi, Vietnam: French Colonial

As the name suggests, French Colonial is a style of architecture used by the French during colonization. The style is especially prominent in Southeast Asia, as exemplified by the early 20th-century buildings in Hanoi. Notable examples include the Presidential Palace (completed in 1906) and the Hanoi Opera House (pictured, completed in 1911), two bright yellow, ornate reminders of French rule in Vietnam.

Miami, Florida: Art Deco

Perhaps the most iconic on this list, Miami Beach's Historic District comprises the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. To transform Miami into an ultramodern and luxury tourist destination during the 1920s and 1930s, architects turned to Deco's symmetrical and geometrical patterns, floral and animal motifs, and pastel colors to invoke fluidity and movement, which are synonymous with the city today.

Mason City, Iowa: Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School

Inspired by the flat terrain and open sky of the Midwest, Wright's Prairie School was defined by bold, horizontal lines, low profiles, natural lighting, and an uninterrupted flow within and between interior and exterior spaces. He used this style when designing the Park Inn Hotel (pictured here) in 1910 and G.C. Stockman's house in 1908; neighbors (and some copycat architects) followed suit, which is why this small Iowa town has one of the largest collections of Prairie-style homes in the world.

Tel Aviv, Israel: Bauhaus

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site , Tel Aviv's “White City” contains 4,000 International Style buildings, many of which were built in the 1930s and 1940s. To accommodate the influx of Jewish immigrants fleeing Europe, German Bauhaus-trained architects integrated the modern style's affordable and functional building techniques with curved lines and a color well-suited for the Mediterranean climate to create a habitable city by the sea .

Barcelona, Spain: Catalan Modernism

Taking cues from modern Gothic and oriental techniques, the early-19th-century Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí wanted to create organic, urban spaces in the city he loved. A walk around Barcelona leads you through the largest concentration of his signature ceramic and stained-glass mosaics, as well as his undulating stonework and ironwork, which include Park Güell and culminate in his unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Família (pictured).

Seattle, Washington: American Arts & Crafts

The early-20th-century American Arts & Crafts movement, whose ideals rest on hardwoods and artisanal handcrafting, found a natural home in the timber country of the Pacific Northwest. Nowhere are Craftsman bungalows more prominent than in West Seattle, home to the landmarked Bloss House (pictured here), and in Seattle's Queen Anne district, where the movement’s simple construction, balanced proportions, and matching gardens provided a sweet departure from the ornate Victorians of that era.

Chandigarh, India: Mid-Century Modernism

Shortly after India's 1947 partition, Prime Minister J. Nehru tasked Swiss modernist architect Le Corbusier with designing an organized, progressive city: one that would break from past traditions from the ground up. Its planned supergrid, exposed masonry and concrete, and the eccentric sculpture-work that peppers Chandigarh has made the city a study for planning and design students around the world. Pictured here is the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Le Corbusier.

Florence, Italy: Renaissance

It's hard to escape Renaissance aesthetics in Florence , the birthplace of the late-14th-century movement. The era's embellished but symmetrical and geometrical structures—columns and domes—and emphasis on realism and the human form departed from the irregular and severe lines of the Medieval period. They're most visible at Florence's Duomo and Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.

Istanbul, Turkey: Byzantine/Ottoman

A historic crossroads of culture and design , Istanbul's landscape provides a prominent display of its two conquering empires. Travelers needn't look farther than the Hagia Sophia mosque for the aesthetics central to both: the Byzantine dome and colored mosaics, and the Ottoman minarets and Islamic calligraphy.

Columbus, Indiana: Modernism and Post-Modernism

Columbus, Indiana has a population of only 44,000, but it's a surprising trove of Modernism: The town claims more than 70 buildings designed by star architects, including I.M. Pei, Eero Saarinen , and Richard Meier. Credit for this belongs to philanthropist and architecture lover J. Irwin Miller, who, in the 1950s through 1960s, commissioned a revamping of the local churches, public buildings, and his own estate, leading the American Institute of Architects to rank Columbus sixth in the nation in architectural innovation and design. (Pictured here is the North Christian Church.)

Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, New York: Victorian

The hundreds of free-standing 1900s Victorian single-family mansions transport visitors to another time and city, when developer Lewis Pounds helped create an ornate, middle-class pocket south of Prospect Park (on farmland previously owned by the Van Ditmarsen family), replete with wraparound porches and manicured lawns.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Contemporary

Over the course of ten years, Dubai's landscape has transformed. Home to the world's tallest building, a seven-star hotel (the Burj al Arab), and the only man-made archipelago modeled after the seven continents, Dubai's development has lured top contemporary architects like Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas to feed into its outdoor design frenzy.

Marrakech, Morocco: Moorish Architecture

The presence of riads , palaces with interior courtyards and gardens and open skylights, are specific to Morocco and essential to Islamic design because of their emphasis on privacy. The lack of street-level windows and the use of clay walls also lends to the feeling of intimacy and grace. The density of Marrakech's riads —combined with the city's mosques, minarets, and mosaics—makes it an exceptional place to view the Moorish architecture of the 12th through 17th centuries.

Oxford, England: Gothic Revival

Poet Matthew Arnold once called Oxford the "city of the dreaming spires." Taking notes from earlier Medieval stonework, the towers of Oxford's mid-19th-century Gothic Revival skyline define the city, embedding it with a sense of gravity and academic prowess—just like its namesake university.

Portland, Oregon: Green Architecture

Although Chicago has the most LEED-accredited buildings in the U.S., Portland, Oregon, whose population is a quarter of the size, has the sixth highest number, making it the city with the highest concentration of green buildings. In addition, zoning regulations that preserve urban agricultural spaces, a bike-friendly layout, and energy-efficient homes whose designs take on organic shapes and materials make Portland—along with the design firms it is home to—a leader in sustainable architecture.

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41 famous buildings you should visit before you die

A virtual tour of the world's most famous buildings to inspire creative ideas (and travel plans).

The world's most famous buildings can be great places to find creative inspiration. From historic marvels like the Forbidden City in Beijing to modern landmarks such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the world is full of iconic structures that can provide ideas for all manner of design projects.

The year 2024 will see the completion of several major new architectural landmarks which are sure to join the ranks of the most famous buildings, and in the list below, we've included some of these newcomers too. Visiting or just studying these buildings, we can learn about a country's culture, history and design. If you're drawing up a travel wish list, you might also want one of the best cameras or to take on some sketching tips to capture what you see.

41 incredible famous buildings for creative inspiration

01. palace of versailles, france.

If you're a history buff, the Palace of Versailles is a must-see to add to your bucket list. A former royal residence, the castle was the former hunting lodge and private retreat of Louis XIII who reigned between 1643–1715. More recently it's become a hub for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games , hosting equestrian and modern pentathlon sports.

A stunning showcase of French architecture, the palace is a multifaceted beacon of history. From its triumphant exterior to its stunning grounds, there's a regal elegance to be found throughout. Highlights include the famous Hall of Mirrors adorned with extravagant chandeliers and the intricate Latona Fountain designed by André Le Nôtre. The Palace of Versailles now functions as a museum, inviting guests to explore its rich heritage.

02. The Jeddah Tower

So you can't actually visit the Jeddah Tower yet because it's not complete, but this guide is titled famous buildings to see before you die, so we'll start with a long-term suggestion. The Jeddah Tower is almost guaranteed to become one of the world's most famous buildings when it's completed if only for the fact that it will become the tallest (until the next one).

The tower in Saudi Arabia will be the world's first to reach over a kilometre in height, overshadowing the UAE’s Burj Khalifa by 172 metres. It's intended to be the centerpiece of the Jeddah Economic City (JEC) development. Chicago's Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture is the lead architect, and the design was inspired by the concept of the "folded fronds of young desert plant growth".

Work resumed in September after being held up due to the Covid-19 pandemic but there is still no scheduled date for completion. The tower will house a Four Season hotel, apartments, offices condominiums and the world’s highest observatory.

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03. RAIM (Robot & Artificial Intelligence Museum), Seoul

Opening in 2024, the Robot & AI Museum (RAIM) in Seoul is set to be very much a museum of its age, focusing on two rapidly evolving areas of technology that are expected to shape the near future. Designed by Melike Altinisik Architects , the building itself has a striking design, looking like a giant egg. What's inside the museum when it opens in the second half of the year is likely to be just as intriguing, but the museum's construction has been an exhibition in itself, with robots assembling the external metal panels and 3D printing concrete components.

04. Beijing Daxing International Airport

A relatively new construction, Beijing's second international airport replaced Istanbul as the world's largest when it was completed in 2019. Known as 'the starfish', it's sprawling star shape spans 7.5 million square feet. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects before Hadid's death, it not only looks incredible, but it's uber-practical as well, with an innovative layout designed to make things easier for travellers. This is building design that's both functional and stunning to behold.

05. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Designed by Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum was completed in 1997. It's a mass of smooth curved lines and glittering tiles. The museum is crossed at one end by a bridge, which is crowned by a large skylight in the shape of a metal flower. The design is so complex that Gehry used advanced software originally conceived for the aerospace industry to work on the design. You can learn more about the building's architecture here .

06. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

The Sagrada is often cited as the oldest construction project that's still ongoing. Work started on Antoni Gaudí's basilica in 1882, over 130 years later it's still unfinished. It was most recently slated for completion for 2026, although that looks set to be pushed back again. When it's finally completed, the construction will have lasted only a few decades less than the Great Wall of China. Even in its unfinished state, it's a joy to behold thanks to its extravagant mix of architectural styles, almost liquid-like spires, ornate facades, ornamental arches and vivid stained glass.

07. Notre Dame, Paris

The Notre Dame de Paris has long been one of the world's most celebrated cathedrals, and it's been even more in the spotlight since it was devastated by fire in April 2019. The interior won't be finished in 2024, but the cathedral's facade is expected to be finished in time for The Paris Olympics in July.

Construction on the original structure began in 1160, and the building has since had a peppered history of destruction and reconstruction. The French president Emmanuel Macron has said that the spire will be reconstructed exactly as it was, with up to 1,000 oak trees needed to make that happen.

08. Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku

The Heydar Aliyev Center is one of the most famous buildings designed by the celebrated Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. Located in Baku, Azerbaijan, it was completed in 2012 and was acclaimed for its distinctive flowing lines and lack of sharp angles. Zaha Hadid Architects was awarded the commission following a competition in 2007. On the firm's website , it explains the motivation behind the design: "The Center... breaks from the rigid and often monumental Soviet architecture that is so prevalent in Baku, aspiring instead to express the... optimism of a nation that looks to the future." 

09. Cathedral of Brasilia, Brasilia

This curved beauty in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, is just as striking inside as outside with its beautiful crown-like structure and stained glass. It was created between 1958-1970 by Brazil's famed Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa. Interestingly considering the religious context, both architects were actually communists. Their work rejects the trend for cube-like design that was favoured by their peers and celebrates the majesty of the curve.

10. Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik

Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik was designed by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Elíasson alongside Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið Architects . The kaleidoscope effect of the crystalline shell deploys light and colour in a way that plays with your senses when you enter the building. It looks like a shimmering sculpture that sits on the shoreline connecting the sky and the sea. 

11. Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Art Museum is an architectural landmark that comprises three separate buildings. The War Memorial Center (1957) was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen; the Kahler Building (1975) by David Kahler; and the Quadracci Pavilion (2001) by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The latter is an iconic sculptural edition typical of Calatrava's work with flying buttresses, pointed arches and ribbed vaults. Overlooking Lake Michigan, it’s directly connected to Wisconsin Avenue by a cable-stay footbridge. Pedestrians can cross Lincoln Memorial Drive on the bridge and continue into the pavilion, while drivers enter via an underground vaulted parking garage.

12. Forbidden City, Beijing

This is more of a series of famous buildings than one – 980, to be precise. Constructed between 1406AD to 1420AD, the Forbidden City was home to emperors from the time of the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty, making it the political centre of China for half a millennium. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the former imperial palace now houses the Palace Museum. It has the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world and sees an average of 16 million visitors in a typical year – that's 40,000 visitors per day.

13. The Dancing House, Prague

Dubbed The Dancing House, Prague’s Nationale-Nederlanden building was designed by Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić and Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry.  The deconstructivist, or new-baroque, architecture forms the unusual dancing shape thanks to 99 concrete panels, each a different shape and dimension. The building's proved so popular that it now features on a gold 2,000 Czech koruna coin issued by the Czech National Bank.

14. Great Mosque of Djenné, Djenné

The Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali is one of the most famous buildings in Africa, and it's so important in Mali that it features on the country's coat of arms. It's made of earth bricks that have been dried in the sun, mortar made of sand and a plaster that creates a smooth surface. 

It is thought that a mosque has existed on the site since the 1200s. The current structure was rebuilt in 1907, and there's been some debate over whether or not the structure was influenced by French architecture (Mali became independent from France in 1906). Once a year, the people of Djenné have a festival and work together to complete any necessary repairs.

15. Lotus Temple, New Dehli

The Lotus Temple is a Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi. It comprises 27 structures resembling lotus petals, which open onto a central hall that's around 40m high. The surface of the structure is made of white marble from Mount Pentelicus in Greece, the same marble used to build the Parthenon. The building has nine sides, nine doors, and can accommodate 2,500 people. Since its completion in 1986, it's become one of the most visited buildings in the world, attracting over 100 million people. 

16. Himeji Castle, Himeji

Himeji Castle is a spectacular Japanese castle near Kyoto. It's over 400 years old and in pristine conditions having escaped damage by war or natural disasters. The whole complex is made up of over 80 buildings, which are connected together by gates and winding paths. A marvel to behold, it's often dubbed the White Egret or White Heron Castle because of its white elegant exterior, which is said to resemble a bird taking flight.

17. Cologne Cathedral, Cologne

Cologne Cathedral is a High Gothic five-aisled cathedral. Construction began in 1248 and went on until it was halted in 1473 before the building was complete. Work didn't resume until the 1800s, and the cathedral was finally finished in 1880. Later work follows the original medieval plan faithfully and the building is renowned as a Gothic masterpiece. It also houses many works of art as well as the Shrine of the Three Kings, which is traditionally believed to hold the remains of the biblical Three Kings.

18. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

A masterpiece of Islamic architecture, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was built by Caliph Abd al-Malik between 687 and 691. The octagonal plan and the wood rotunda dome are of Byzantine design. The Persian tiles on the exterior were added by Suleiman I in 1561, and the interior decoration was later added to with marble, mosaic and faience. The oldest extant Islamic monument, the Dome of the Rock has served as a model for architecture and other art for more than a millennium.

19. La Pedrera, Barcelona

There are several unusual, beautiful buildings from the architect Antoni Gaudí nestled in the urban streets of Barcelona. His unique approach to the Art Nouveau movement generated some of the most creative buildings the world has seen, and La Pedrera is no exception. One of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture, it's more of a sculpture than a building. The façade is a varied but harmonious mass of undulating stone that, along with its forged iron balconies, explores the irregularities of the natural world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) granted it World Heritage status in 1984.

20. St Paul's Cathedral, London

Designed by English architect Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul's Cathedral is one of London's most iconic buildings. Sitting at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, its famous dome is one of the world's largest, measuring nearly 112 metres high. 

The original church on the site was founded in 604AD, and work on the present English Baroque church began in the 17th Century as part of a major rebuilding programme after the Great Fire of London. Wren started working on his designs in 1666 and took nine years to complete them. The actual construction took a further 35 years. St Paul's has played an integral part of London life ever since, as a dominant part of the skyline and a centre for tourism, religious worship and anticapitalist protests. See our designer's guide to London for more highlights of the UK capital.

21. Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Standing at 451.9 metres tall, these linked twin skyscrapers are an iconic landmark in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Petronas Towers held the title of tallest building in the world between 1998-2004. The distinctive postmodern style was created by architects Cesar Pelli and Achmad Murdijat, engineer Deejay Cerico and designer Dominic Saibo under the consultancy of JC Guinto. The design of each floor plate was based on the simple Islamic geometric forms of two interlocking squares, creating the shape of an eight-pointed star.

22. The White House, Washington

The White House, perhaps the world's most famous political residence, was designed by Irish architect James Hoban. He submitted a plan for the presidential mansion in 1792 and subsequently won the commission to build the White House. Construction began in 1793 and was completed in 1801. The mansion, which has been home to every US leader since the country's second president John Adams, is made from white-painted Aquia sandstone.

23. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable architectural structures in Europe, best known for its accidental tilt. The tower began to lean during construction because soft ground on one side was unable to properly support the structure's weight. Building work began in 1173 and went on for a staggering 199 years. There's been much controversy as to the true identity of the architect behind it. The design was originally attributed to the artist Bonnano Pisano, but studies have also implicated architect Diotisalvi.

24. The Kaaba, Mecca

The Kaaba, meaning cube in Arabic, is a square building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. An important sacred site in Islam, the Kabba is elegantly draped in a silk and cotton veil. Every year millions of Muslims travel to visit it for the hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. The small square building is about 45 feet high and its walls are a metre wide, with its total size occupying roughly 627 square feet.

25. The Shard, London

Also referred to as the shard of glass, The Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe and the second tallest free-standing structure in the UK behind the Arqiva radio and television tower in West Yorkshire. The 95-storey skyscraper was designed by architect Renzo Piano. It's exterior boasts 11,000 glass panels – equivalent in area to eight Wembley football pitches or two-and-a-half Trafalgar Squares.

The building was developed to have multiple uses, being described on the website as a 'vertical city where people can live, work and relax', a motto that was taken on board by a fox, nicknamed Romeo, that was found on the 72nd floor towards the end of construction. Work began in 2009 and finished in 2012.

26. Las Lajas Sanctuary, Nariño

This dramatically situated church in Southern Colombia crosses a canyon. If that isn't impressive, we don't know what is. Why here? Because it's the site where a woman and her daughter reportedly saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1754, after which the previously deaf and mute daughter was able to speak. Since then, various shrines have been built. The current gothic-looking construction was created between 1916-1949.

27. St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

No, not Disneyland. This extravagant candy-coloured cathedral is Moscow's most famous building, and most visited tourist attraction. Shaped to resemble the flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, St Basil's Cathedral is located just outside the Kremlin gates, marking the centre of Moscow. Built between 1555 and 1561, it was erected during the reign of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). Little is known about the building's architect Postnik Yakovlev, but he was clearly a fan of onion domes, sharp spikes and polygonal towers.

28. Empire State Building, New York

We couldn't put together a list of world-famous buildings without including this grand Art Deco skyscraper. Once the tallest building in the world, the Empire State was built in just 410 days, with work starting on St Patrick's Day 1930. The building was designed by William F Lamb of architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. It was declared by the American Society of Civil Engineers to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is known as an icon of New York City.

29. Lloyd's Building, London

The award-winning Lloyd's building (also known as the Inside-Out building) looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie rather than London's Lime Street. The futuristic architectural landmark is one of the most recognisable constructions on the London skyline. Architects Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners were behind the innovative design, which put utilitarian elements like water pipes and staircases on the outside. Built between 1978 and 1986, the building also features 12 exterior lifts, which were the first of their kind in the UK.

30. The Colosseum, Rome

This elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the Italian capital is considered one of the greatest architectural feats of Ancient Rome. The stadium could seat at least 50,000 spectators, mainly for gladiatorial games. Built mainly using concrete and stone between around 72AD and 80AD, the design and shape of the Colosseum has inspired many modern-day stadiums. Today it is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions, attracting thousands of visitors each year. 

31. Taj Mahal, Agra

Recognised as 'the jewel of Muslim art in India', the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Often mistaken as a palace, this famous landmark was actually built as a tomb for the emperor's wife after she died giving birth to their 14th child. It's regarded as one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture – an amalgamation of Persian, Turkish and Indian styles. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1643. The surrounding buildings and gardens took around five more years to finish.

32. Chrysler Building, New York

In the early part of the 20th Century, there was a race to build the tallest building. At the time, this gorgeous Art Deco skyscraper was almost outdone by the Bank of Manhattan, but its spire (which was constructed in secret) enabled it to take the title of 'tallest building in the world' in 1930. That didn't last long though. Less than a year later, the Empire State Building stole its crown. Designed by architect William Van Alen, the skyscraper was commissioned by car manufacturer Walter P Chrysler, hence its name.

33. Sydney Opera House, Sydney

The Sydney Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century. The innovative design came from architect Jørn Utzon, who was relatively unknown until January 29, 1957 when his entry won the international competition to design a national opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney. The beautiful building comprises three groups of interlocking shells, which cover two main performance halls and a restaurant. A masterpiece of modern architecture, the opera house has become an iconic symbol of both Sydney and Australia as a whole.

34. Space Needle, Seattle

A collaborative effort between architects Edward E Carlson and John Graham, the futuristic Space Needle in Seattle, Washington was built for the 1962 World's fair. The famous landmark stands at 184m high and 42m wide at its widest point. Not only is the architecture a marvel to look at but it's a feat of engineering too, built to survive wind speeds of 200mph and earthquakes of up to 9.1 in magnitude.

35. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Once a church, later a mosque and now a museum, Hagia Sophia is a perfect example of Byzantine architecture. Located in Istanbul, Turkey, the building was originally constructed between 532AD and 537AD. It's been rebuilt many times since then, due to a range of factors, including earthquakes and being burned down in riots. Despite this, Hagia Sophia is widely recognised as one of the most impressive buildings in the world. It also featured in the opening scenes of the James Bond film, Skyfall.

36. Buckingham Palace, London

Originally known as Buckingham House, the royal palace was bought by George III in 1735 when the mansion was little more than a red brick house. Since then, various architects have worked on the building to make it what it is today, including John Nash and Edmund Blore. The exterior in Bath stone was designed in a Neo-classical French style. The East face of the palace was refaced in Portland stone in 1913. The palace had to undergo extensive work after being bombed no less than nine times during World War II. Despite that, it's still a working royal residence.

37. Fallingwater, Pennsylvania

Designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934, Fallingwater is possibly the most famous private residence in the world. Why? Well, the unique design makes it look like the house stretches out over a 30ft waterfall, with no solid ground beneath it. This obviously isn't the case, but the innovative design captured the world's attention when it was completed in 1939. It became famous instantly and is now a historic landmark. It's so cool that you can even get a Lego version .

38. Pantheon, Rome

Rome is home to many incredible famous buildings, and the Pantheon is no exception. Like the city itself, it wasn't built in a day. Destroyed then rebuilt twice, the building began as a rectangular structure before evolving into the gorgeous domed building seen today. An inspiration to architects all over the world, the Pantheon's roof remains the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. There is much debate between historians over which emperor and architects were responsible for the design, but we know that the 'Temple of the Gods' was first built in around 126AD.

39. Chengdu Science Fiction Museum

Chengdu is most famous for pandas, but Zaha Hadid's Chengdu Science Fiction Museum firmly puts the huge Chinese city on the architectural map too. It's described as a “star cloud dispersing energy fields”, and seems to hover over Jingrong Lake like a spaceship. Hadid's signature curves are present, along with environmental credentials such as natural ventilation and solar power.

40. Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Last on our list – but by no means the least – is the world's tallest building (at least until the Jeddah Tower is completed). The Burj Khalifa, the centrepiece of downtown Dubai, stands at an incredible 828.9 metres high. Construction on the 160-floor building began in 2004, and its doors opened six years later in 2010. It was designed by the Chicago office of American architectural and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings and Merril LLP. A Y-shaped tripartite floor was used to optimise residential and hotel space, while a buttressed central core and wings support the stunning height of the building.

41. Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

While it may look unassuming from the outside, the beauty of the Vatican's iconic Sistine Chapel lies within its walls. Featuring Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling frescoes, the chapel is home to some of the most famous artwork in history, giving onlookers an authentic Italian Renaissance experience.

With legendary frescos dating back to the 1400's, this stunning building is a must see for art history fans. The Sistine Chapel is still in use today as the Pope's private chapel. It hosts principal papal ceremonies and is used by the Sacred College of Cardinals to elect a new Pope.

For more inspiration, see our pick of the best online art galleries to visit from home.

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Georgia is lucky enough to be Creative Bloq's Editor. She has been working for Creative Bloq since 2018, starting out as a freelancer writing about all things branding, design, art, tech and creativity – as well as sniffing out genuinely good deals on creative technology. Since becoming Editor, she has been managing the site on a day-to-day basis, helping to shape the diverse content streams CB is known for and leading the team in their own creativity. 

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15 Places Architects Must Visit in New York

The architecture of New York is beautiful yet complex as it has developed over the course of time. Before the 1880s, New York meant Manhattan Island, which was a seaport. It changed to a crowded and chaotic metropolitan city with the Industrial Revolution when millions of people immigrated to America. As a tiny island, Manhattan needed to vertical growth which resulted in its skyscrapers and famous skyline. New York has its skyline divided into Lower Manhattan, known for being the third largest central business district in the USA and Midtown Manhattan, first largest business district in the USA comprising of notable building as the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the Rockefeller Centre. Many of the building have gone through renovations and relocations through the 20th century. New York has evolved from the Beaux Arts to Art Deco and into the modern architecture of 20th century over the time span. Here are 15 buildings every architect must see when in New York.

1. CITIGROUP CENTRE

Citigroup Centre on Lexington Avenue is one of the most unique buildings of New York. While the Architect Hugh Stubbins created the form of the building most of the credit goes to the Structural Engineer William Le Messurier, as it rests on four stilts perfectly centered on each side, while creating a cantilever on the sidewalk. To add more sophistication it has a 45 degree sloping crown at the top. The details under the cantilever are thoughtfully articulated giving a clean and hyper ordered veneer, rarely seen on a skyscraper. The curtain wall system affixes stations of metal cladding and strips of windows, wrapping the sheer walls.

2. THE DAKOTA

The Dakota was constructed between October 25, 1880 and October 25, 1884 by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh’s architectural firm. The Dakota was designated as the New York City Landmark in 1969. The building façade was renovated in 2015. The building was built around a central courtyard in square shape. The building has a German Renaissance character with its high gables and deep roofs with terracotta spandrels and panels, niches, etc. The layout of the building reflects French Architecture trends. The building has 65 apartments while no two apartments are same. These were accessed by staircase and elevators placed at the corners of the courtyard. The building was equipped with central heating system and in house power plant.

3. SAINT PATRICK CATHEDRAL 

The Saint Patrick Cathedral was built in the democratic spirit and took 21 years to build. The cornerstone of St. Patrick Cathedral was built in 1858 and doors opened in 1879.The details of the building attract many tourists every year. The Cathedral is decorated in Neo-Gothic style Roman Catholic Church. In 1853, Archbishop John Joseph Hughes announced his intention to build a new Cathedral to replace the old St. Patrick Cathedral in Lower Manhattan. It is designed by James Renwick Jr. in the Gothic Revival style of architecture. The Lady Chapels stained glass windows were made between 1912 and 1930 by glass designer and artist Paul Vicent Woodroffe. There are many details such as the entrance door made of bronze decorated with relief sculptures.

4. ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S CUSTOM HOUSE

The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House is a building in New York City built in 1902–1907 by the federal government to house the duty collection operations for the Port of New York. The building is now the home of the George Gustav Heye Center, National Museum of the American Indian, as well as the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York; since 2012, it is also the home to the National Archives at New York City. The building was designed by Minnesotan Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Woolworth Building, which is visible from the building’s front steps. The building is considered to be a masterpiece of the Beaux-Arts style. The building incorporates Beaux Arts and City Beautiful movement planning principles, combining architecture, engineering and fine arts. Lavish sculptures, paintings, and decorations by well-known artists of the time, such as Daniel Chester French, Karl Bitter, Louis St. Gaudens and Albert Jaegers, were brought in to embellish the facade, the two-story entry portico, and the main hall parallel to the facade, the Rotunda, and the Collector’s Reception Room. The building’s rusticated first story supports three stories of single and paired full-height, engaged, Corinthian columns. The fifth story is encompassed within the frieze of the massive entablature. Above the entablature is the sixth story. The seventh story is within the mansard roof.

5. CHRYSLER BUILDING

The Chrysler Building’s style, Art Deco, was considered modern, urbane, and luxurious. The building stands tall at the height of 1,046 feet; it is the tallest brick building with steel framework. The building was constructed by Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler Corporation, and served as the corporation’s headquarters from 1930 until the mid-1950s. At the Chrysler Building, the distinctive elements of Art Deco include the horizontal black-and-white stripes between floors, the geometric decoration concentrated at each of the setbacks, the streamlined eagle heads and radiator caps with wings (hallmark Chrysler car ornaments) jutting out from the corners, and, above all, the great crown with its seven layers of crescent setbacks inset with triangular windows. The structure consists of 3,862 exterior windows. The 31st-floor contains gargoyles and replicas of the 1929 Chrysler radiator caps, the 61st eagles, and a nod to America’s national bird.

6. SPRING STREET SALT SHED

Dattner Architects and WXY Architecture + Urban Design collaborated during schematic design of the Salt Shed. It rises nearly 70 feet and lies along the Hudson River at the intersection of Canal Street and West Street, this highly visible structure houses 5,000 tons of salt. The structure is tapered toward the bottom, creating more walking space for pedestrians. The Salt Shed’s solid, crystalline form acts as a counterpoint to the façade of the Manhattan district Garage 1,2,5, directly across Spring Street to the north. To make it easier for trucks to travel in and out of the structure, the doors of the shed measure 35 feet high and 24 feet wide. The structure has the capacity to store up to 5,000 tons of salt and the walls of the shed are six feet thick, to prevent the building from being damaged.

7. MADISON SQAURE GARDEN

Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or in initials as MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City and is known for hosting many of the biggest professional ice hockey and basketball, as well as boxing, concerts, ice shows, circuses, professional wrestling and other forms of sports and entertainment. The Madison Square Garden was in common interests of J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and W.W. Astor. They wanted a new, New York centerpiece designed in the popular Beaux-Arts style of the time, and hired Architect Stanford White to design it. . The Garden opened on February 11, 1968, and is the oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area.

8. THE CLOISTERS 

The Cloister is also known as the hidden museum of New York. The museum’s building was designed by the architect Charles Collens, on a site above a steep hill, with upper and lower levels. It consists of medieval gardens, a series of chapels and themed galleries, including the Romanesque, Spanish and Gothic rooms. The design, layout, and ambiance of the building are intended to evoke a sense of medieval European simple life. The beautiful Cuxa Cloister and Garden are at the heart of the Museum, as it would be in a monastery. The rose pink marble columns topped with carved capitals surround the cloister garden with its central fountain and paths. This is a peaceful haven where you can imagine the monks would have come to read and meditate. There also are 13th Century stained glass windows in the Early Gothic Hall which overlooks the Hudson River. These beautiful windows are mainly brought in from French churches.

9. FLATIRON BUILDING

The building is 117 years old this year; it is a triangular 22 storey building with a steel framework of height of 285 foot. The Flatiron Building’s Broadway front is 190 feet wide, The Fifth Avenue front is 173 feet wide, and the 22nd Street side is of 87 feet wide. The Flatiron Building was designed by Chicago’s Daniel Burnham as a vertical Renaissance palazzo with Beaux-Arts styling. It was originally called the Fuller Building, after the Chicago based George A. Fuller Company, which built and developed the building. The skin of the building is heavily ornamented and although the building could have been constructed with large windows, the windows on the Flatiron Building are rather conservatively sized, thus giving the façade a more solid, heavy appearance.

10. WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an art museum in Manhattan. It was founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney between 1875 to 1942, a wealthy and prominent American socialite and art patron after whom it is named. Its permanent collection comprises more than 23,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, films, videos, and artifacts of new media by more than 3,400 artists. The museum was relocated when Whitney developed a new building designed by Renzo Piano. The building includes approximately 50,000 square feet of indoor galleries and 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space and terraces facing the High Line.

11. METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

The Metropolitan Opera House also known as The Met is an opera house designed by Wallace k. Harrison. It is a part of Lincoln Centre for Performing Arts. It opened in 1966, replacing the original 1883 Metropolitan Opera House at Broadway and 39th Street. With a seating capacity of approximately 3,800, the house is the largest repertory opera house in the world. The building is clad with white travertine and the east facade is graced with its distinctive series of five concrete arches and large glass and bronze facade, towering 96 feet above the plaza. On the north, south and west sides of the building, hundreds of vertical fins of travertine running the full height of the structure give the impression that the facade is an uninterrupted mass of travertine when viewed from certain angles. The building totals 14 stories, 5 of which are underground.

12. BARCLAY’S CENTRE

Barclays Center was designed by the architecture firm SHoP Architects and architecture Studio AECOMM. Initial concepts for the area were designed by Frank Gehry, whose design proposed a rooftop park ringed by an open-air running track and capable of doubling as an ice skating rink in winter with panoramic, year-round views of Manhattan. The arena’s iconic exterior is built from 12,000 uniquely-shaped panels in weathered steel that recall the color and scale of adjacent brownstone blocks. Despite its large capacity and in contrast to the outward appearance, the interior is relatively conventional. The powerful structure of this building is a work of engineering, developed by Ellerbe Becket of Aecom, like many of the other elements .The coating of the facade was done using the coating by Corten steel mesh formed by 12,000 different pieces designed by computer.

13. THE WALDORF – ASTORIA

The Waldorf Astoria is a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The hotel is one of the first grand hotels which combine elegance with luxurious amenities and services. The hotels began as individual buildings due to relative feuding, The Waldorf and The Astor respectively, and later in 1897 they became one and were known as The Waldorf – Astoria. The current hotel is designed by Architects Schultze and Weaver and was opened in 1931. The hotel was world’s largest and tallest hotel measuring 625 feet tall with 47 floors. It still remains the world’s largest surviving Art Deco building.

14. 432 PARK AVENUE CONDOMINIUMS

Designed by Rafael Viñoly and rising 1,396 feet above Park Avenue between 56th and 57th streets, 432 Park Avenue is the tallest residential tower. It was developed by CIM Group and features 125 condominium apartments. Construction began in 2011 and was completed on December 23; 2015.The building was proposed to be 1,300 feet high but was later constructed at 1,396 feet. Interiors are designed by Deborah Berke and the firm Bentel & Bentel, which also designed Eleven Madison Park and the Gramercy Tavern. The structure is constructed with the help of a reinforced concrete core with 30 inch thick walls. The tower is well-defined by a grid of 10-square-meter windows that are enclosed in an exposed concrete structural frame bounded to a slim concrete core, creating column-free interiors for the building.

15. 41 COOPER SQAURE

41 Cooper Square, designed by architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis, is a nine-story, 175,000-square-foot academic center that houses the Albert Nerken School of Engineering with additional spaces for the humanities, art, and architecture departments in New York City. There is also an exhibition gallery and auditorium for public programs and retail space on the ground level. It implies standard methods of construction where a reinforced concrete framing is cast on site and enclosed in an aluminum and glass curtain wall. The operable pierced stainless steel skin is balanced by the glass but still attached to the main frame. Innovative technologies are introduced into the building system to maximize energy efficiency and radiant heating and cooling ceiling panels provide a more efficient means of achieving thermal comfort, a green roof helps insulate the building and collects storm water, and a cogeneration plant provides additional power but recovers waste heat.

Samanata Kumar, is a young interior designer, driven by keen interest for Architectural heritage and culture. Her curiosity includes parameters of architecture and design, photography, travelling, writing, roller skating and air rifle shooting for leisure. Her latest focus includes gaining knowledge in development of housing typologies around the world, space psychology and conspiracies in architecture.

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• Architecture City Guide

Paris City Guide: 23 Places Every Architect Must Visit

• Written by Virginia Duran
• Published on August 22, 2021

Paris , the city that was born on the banks of the Seine, grew from a small island – Île de la Cité – to the vast metropolis that nowadays extends beyond Ménilmontant, the vingtième arrondissement.

The French capital has so much to offer. Centuries of history have left behind meaningful structures which also have been the background of love stories, wars and revolutions. Whether you are seeking to admire hidden spots, the well-known landmarks and jewels soon to be opened, or filling your personal story with them, you'll find everything you want in this city.

This list, in no particular order, aims to provide some guidance and inspiration for your next trip to Paris . If you love architecture, dear friend, look no further.

Want to discover Paris' architecture ? Continue reading!

1. Centre Georges Pompidou

Architect: Renzo Piano

Location:19 Rue Beaubourg ( Google )

Description: This is one of the most iconic buildings in Paris and houses the Musée National d'Art Moderne which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe. Its exposed skeleton of brightly coloured tubes for mechanical systems was the beginning of a new era of architecture and it's a must visit. Oh and don't miss the views from the top floor, which has free admission the first Sunday of each month. Read more here .

2. Fondation Louis Vuitton Paris

Architect: Frank Gehry

Location:8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi ( Google )

Description: Louis Vuitton, the luxury French fashion house founded in 1854, has recently been opening stunning stores around the world: Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza (Jun Aoki, 2013), Louis Vuitton in Singapore (FTL Design Engineering Studio, 2012) and The Shops at Crystals (Daniel Libeskind, 2009) are some of the most stunning. This art museum is even more exciting as there is a cultural aspect to it in the design – not just a formal approach. Built on the edge of a water garden created especially for the project, it comprises an assemblage of white blocks (known as “the icebergs”) clad in panels of fiber-reinforced concrete, surrounded by twelve immense glass “sails” supported by wooden beams. Read more here.

3. Palais de Tokyo Expansion

Architect: Lacaton & Vassal

Location:13 Avenue du Président Wilson ( Google )

Description: The original Palais de Tokyo – built in 1937 for the International Exhibition of Arts and Technology of 1937 – attracted over 30 million people. It was known as Palais des Musées d'art moderne. However, after the event was over, the structure became neglected and eventually deteriorated. In 2001, Lacaton & Vassal breathed new life into it, the new expansion injected extra space and it went from 7000 to 22,000 square meters. Palais de Tokyo is now a brand new building dedicated to modern and contemporary art. The new Café, located on top of the Palais, has one of the best skyline views of Paris . Read more here .

4. Palais-Royal

Architect: Jules Hardouin-Mansart

Location:8 Rue de Montpensier ( Google )

Description: The Palais-Royal, originally the fancy home of Cardinal Richelieu, ended up in the King's hands after his death in 1642 – Henry VIII had a similar episode with York Place and Cardinal Wolseley in 1530. Since then, this palace became the home of kings and queens to follow until the late 18th century. Today, the Palais-Royal serves as the seat of the Ministry of Culture (closed to the public) but it's the southern end of the complex, polka-dotted with sculptor Daniel Buren's 260 black-and-white striped columns, that has become the garden's signature feature since 1986. Read more here .

5. Bibliothèque Nationale de France

Architect: Dominique Perrault

Location: Quai François Mauria ( Google )

Description: Designed as four open books, all facing one another, this public library is part of an ambitious long-term project: The Grands Projets. President François Mitterand aimed to create a new set of modern monuments for a city long defined by its architecture. Some of the constructions in this plan include the Arab World Institute, the Parc de la Villette and Pyramide at the Louvre. The library buildings define a symbolic and mythical place that reinforce the cultural importance in the urban fabric. Don't miss the other Bibliothèque Nationale by Henri Labrouste (1875). Read more here .

6. Notre Dame Cathedral 

Architect: Manuelle Gautrand

Location: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II ( Google )

Description: While its interior is closed off to visitors following the devastating fire of April 2019, this masterpiece of French Gothic architecture remains a must visit place in Paris . Over its long construction period numerous architects worked on the site, as is evidenced by the differing styles at different heights of the west front and towers. The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation is just behind it, don’t miss it either. Read more here.

7. Eiffel Tower 

Architect: Gustave Eiffel

Location: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France ( Google )

Description: Time for a big classic. Despite being such a cliché, this spot is one of my favourites of the list as an architect. It was built in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair, which was located in the nearby Trocadéro area. It is 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall and, at the time of its completion, the tallest man-made structure in the world – a title it held for 41 years. This monument represents the aspirations of a country and the technical skills of its creators, which I find inspiring. In addition, the atmosphere around the Eiffel Tower is magical. Read more here.

8. Sacré-Cœur Basilica

Architect: Paul Abadie

Location: 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre ( Google )

Description: You may think this Romano-Byzantine church is older than it looks, but it was actually built after the Eiffel Tower (1889). The appearance of Sacré Cœur's design is a result of the conservative Catholic old guard and the secular, republican radicals. The apse mosaic Christ in Majesty, created by Luc-Olivier Merson, is among the largest in the world. Don't miss the amazing skyline views from the dome (accessible through the exterior left side of the basilica). Read more here.

9. Le Grand Louvre

Architect: I.M. Pei

Location: Place du Carrousel ( Google )

Description: As mentioned in #5, in 1981, the newly elected French president, Francois Mitterrand, launched a campaign to renovate cultural institutions throughout France and one of the most advantageous of those projects was the renovation and reorganization of the Louvre. President Mitterrand commissioned the Chinese American architect I.M. Pei the task being the first time that a foreign architect was enlisted to work on the Louvre museum. The new structure – built in the same proportions of the famous Pyramid of Giza – alleviated the congestion from the thousands of daily visitors. Sunset is the best time to visit. Read more here .

10. Musée d'Orsay

Architect: Victor Laloux, Lucien Magne and Émile Bénard

Location:1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur ( Google )

Description: This imposing museum was originally built in 1900 as the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station. And although its function was transformed, it does look like a railway station. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh. This and Marmottan Monet Museum are my favorites in Paris . Don’t miss the amazing skyline views from the clock tower. Read more here.

11. Fondation Le Corbusier

+Maison-Atelier Ozenfant, Immeuble Porte Molitor and Villa Stein-de-Monzie

Architect: Le Corbusier

Location: (Fondation Le Corbusier) 8-10 Square du Docteur Blanche ( Google )

Description: Of the countless buildings Le Corbusier designed in France, most of his housing examples are located in Paris . It would be unfair to just list one of them and that’s why I included some of his most representative works. Where to start? Definitely at Maison La Roche and Maison Jeanneret (1923–24), a pair of semi-detached houses that were Le Corbusier’s third commission in Paris. Fondation Le Corbusier is now used as a museum containing about 8,000 original drawings, studies and plans by Le Corbusier. His Paris home, where he lived until 1965, is located at Immeuble Porte Molitor (Public tours only by appointment). Read more here.

12. Pigalle Basketball

Architect: Ill-Studio

Location:17 Rue Duperré ( Google )

Description: This exciting urban intervention explores the relationship between sport, art and culture by changing the original primary colours with gradients of blue, pink, purple and orange. Blocks of red, yellow, blue and white from the last iteration have been painted over with brighter hues. The rubber court surface blends from blue at the ends to pink in the centre, while gradients have also been applied to the surrounding walls. The result? A fun place to play, watch and socialise. Read more here.

13. Musée du Quai Branly

Architect: Jean Nouvel

Location: ( Google )

Description: Many people (tourists) reach this spot by accident when trying to find the Eiffel Tower. However, this museum is quite important itself. Hybrid, composite, coloured, mysterious and joyous, Jean Nouvel’s building has in effect repeated the success from his victorious Institut du Monde Arabe (1988). The “green wall” on the exterior was designed and planted by Gilles Clément and Patrick Blanc and it’s worth a visit too. Read more here.

14. Docks de Paris

Architect: Jakob + MacFarlane

Location: 34 Quai d’Austerlitz ( Google )

Description: The wonderful job of Jakob + MacFarlane transformed a concrete shipping depot originally built in 1907 into a shinny museum of fashion and design. The architects are calling their design a "plug-over" as the new structure is a new external skin that enveloped the existing site on the sides and on top. The roof has also been developed using wooden decks and grassed areas. Read more here.

15. Philharmonie de Paris

Location: 221 Avenue Jean Jaurès ( Google )

Description: This highly controversial project, Paris' newest symphonic concert hall, is the home of Orchestre de Paris . It took a lot longer to build, at almost three times its original budget and, worst of all, on the day of the opening Jean Nouvel wasn't present as he angrily claimed it was "not finished". Though the exterior has received much criticism – aluminium panels in a basketweave design swirl tightly around the structure – the interior has been highly praised. Judge for yourself. Read more here.

16. La Seine Musical

Architect: Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines

Location: Île Seguin, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt ( Google )

Description: Another structure dedicated to musical affairs – La Seine Musicale – which has received a wildly positive welcome by the general public. The facilities include an elevated egg-shaped auditorium for classical music, a larger modular concert hall, rehearsal rooms and an extensive roof garden. Much of the site's daytime energy needs are supplied by a large mobile curved solar panel array that covers the smaller auditorium. Read more here.

17. Bourse de Commerce / Collection Pinault

Architect: Tadao Ando

Location:2 Rue de Viarmes ( Google )

Year: Opening predicted for spring 2020

Description: François Pinault, who previously teamed up with Tadao Ando to open Venice's Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana, commissioned this exciting project which will soon open. Located at the Bourse de Commerce, an 18th-century rotunda that once held the city's grain market and stock exchange, Collection Pinault Paris will host exhibitions from painting, sculpture, photography and video to installations. Ando designed the ambitious interior, where a cylindrical gallery will form the main exhibition space which will be set into the centre of the plan below the building's domed ceiling. Read more here.

18. Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

Architect: Georges Chedanne and Ferdinand Chanut

Location:40 Boulevard Haussmann ( Google )

Description: The first Galeries Lafayette (the Harrods of France), opened here in 1912. Théophile Bader and his cousin Alphonse Kahn commissioned the architect Georges Chedanne and his pupil Ferdinand Chanut a lavish fashion store with a glass and steel dome and stunning Art Nouveau staircases. More than a century later, the building is still used for the same purpose and its oozing with greatness. Don't miss the amazing views from its rooftop. If you liked this one, you might also want to visit the recently refurbished Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées by BIG (2019). Read more here.

19. Hôtel Guimard

Architect: Hector Guimard

Location: 122 Avenue Mozart ( Google )

Description: This little building is a hidden jewel of the city. It was built as an Art Nouveau house Hector Guimard designed for himself and his wife after visiting the Hôtel Tassel in Brussels, designed by the über famous Victor Horta. Guimard later became known for designing the famous subway entrances (Pasteur, Porte Dauphine…) and also the Castel Béranger door at Rue Jean de la Fontaine which is worth a visit too. Unfortunately, the interiors can't be visited but the original dining room suite can today be seen at the Petit Palais; the bedroom at the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon; and the study at the Musée de l'École de Nancy. Read more here.

20. Les Orgues de Flandre

Architect: Martin van Trek

Location:24 Rue Archereau ( Google )

Description: Paris is full of Brutalist masterpieces but this is, in my opinion, one of the best. The Orgues de Flandre, which can be translated as the "Organs of Flanders", are a group of residential buildings built from 1974 to 1980. What is really outstanding about this complex – and different to other residential houses of this kind around the world – is that Martin van Trek granted the private spaces (the apartments) a monumental status whilst leaving the public spaces in a secondary and more ordinary level. Controversial. Read more here.

21. Les Choux de Créteil

Architect: Gérard Grandval

Location:2 Boulevard Pablo Picasso ( Google )

Description: Another housing project in the suburbs of Paris that is worth a visit: Les Choux de Créteil. This group of ten cylindrical buildings each 15 stories in height is called Les Choux (the cabbages). The project was initiated in 1966, in an area which had been used for a century to produce much of the vegetables for Parisian tables although the name makes reference to the unusual shape of their balconies. The buildings' unique shape is intended to be functional: the apartments' living spaces are closer to the windows and the 2-meter-tall balconies provide outdoor access and privacy at the same time. Read more here.

22. Palace of Versailles

Architect: Louis Le Vau, Andre Le Notre and Charles Lebrun

Location:Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles ( Google )

Description: The site began as Louis XIII’s hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682. Each of the three French kings who lived there until the French Revolution added improvements to make it more beautiful. Indeed it's one of the most stunning European palaces. This is a classic that everyone should visit once in a lifetime. Read more here.

23. Villa Savoye

Location: 82 Rue de Villiers (Poissy) ( Google )

Description: This may be the one house that every architect knows in the world and with no doubt it is one of the most significant contributions to modern architecture in the 20th century. The house single handedly transformed Le Corbusier’s career as well as the principles of the International Style, becoming one of the most important architectural precedents in history. Originally built as a country retreat on behest of the Savoye family but it now belongs to the French state and therefore it can be visited. In fact, it's free to visit on the 1st Sunday of every month. Read more here.

[BONUS]- Villa Dall'Ava

Architect: Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)

Location:Avenue Clodoald, 92210 Saint-Cloud ( Google )

Description: Although it can't be visited by any means, I felt this house had to be on the list. It was built in 1991 as a modern-expressionist house with two distinct apartments: One for the house owners and another for their daughter. There was an extra request: a swimming pool on the roof with a view of the Eiffel Tower. The strip windows and thin, repeated columns recall Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye. Read more here.

Check these and other amazing buildings of Paris on the map below or download The Free Architecture Guide of Paris .

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on August 14, 2019.

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Trees around the world, about m.designs architects.

M.Designs Architects is a Mountain View, California based architecture, planning and interior design firm specializing in sustainable, residential design as well as commercial and industrial projects.

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Our expertise ranges from home and office remodels to new home, Eichler home, townhouses, villas, estates and mid size commercial projects.

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Architectural design, interior design, alpheus w. jessup      malika z. junaid principal architects, congratulations to malika junaid, malika junaid has been honored with pakistan’s highest civilian award: sitara-i-imtiaz. this prestigious recognition is a testament to her unwavering dedication and exceptional contribution to the field of architecture., our projects, residential, commercial/ multi-family, on the drawing board, dream projects, our footprint.

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Newhouse Competition Turns 40

The CAC's Newhouse Architecture + Design Competition, now in its 40th year, continues to inspire teens to understand why design matters.

Meet Richard Newhouse

The competition was started by Illinois State Senator Richard H. Newhouse (1924–2002), a champion of civil rights, economic justice, Black empowerment and education. Born in 1924 in Louisville, Kentucky, Newhouse served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and later attended Boston University and the University of Chicago Law School. He was the first African American to run for mayor of Chicago but ended up losing to Richard J. Daley. He did not allow that to derail him, and he entered the Illinois State Senate in 1966 where he served for twenty-five years.

The Early Competition Years

In 1982, recognizing a lack of opportunities to introduce low-income and minority students to careers in architecture and related fields, Senator Newhouse approached renowned Chicago architect Bruce Graham about convening a jury to award a $1,000 state scholarship in a competition for vocational students. He proposed a simple model-building contest that drew in about 60 entries from carpentry and drafting classes in Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago. Early jury participants and judges included Diane Legge Kemp, the first female partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Robert Wesley, the first Black partner at SOM, and Adrian Smith, future architect of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Winners received trophies and scholarships.

In the years that followed, interest grew among architectural firms. More signed on to judge and some started offering paid summer internships to the winners. Once an independent project and separate organization, Newhouse became part of the CAC in 1994. Honors were given not only to students, but also to educators, for their dedication to teaching design and architecture.

The more I learn about Senator Newhouse, his goals and wants for this competition specifically, and seeing how they are literally manifesting... it's hard not to be in awe of it all, and grateful to aid in its growth and legacy.

Kennda Mims-Burt, Manager of Teen Programs

Early Newhouse competitions were primarily replication projects: model making, drawings, and renderings. But over time, as new technologies emerged, the role of a draftsperson diminished. Chicago Public Schools started eliminating architecture and drafting classes and introducing graphic design and computer programming courses. Newhouse has adapted along the way. In 2015, drafting and replication projects were eliminated from the competition. Increasingly, Newhouse projects also challenge young people to consider community needs and design projects that are place-based and personalized.

Although the context for the competition has changed in recent years, its initial objectives—to encourage students from populations underrepresented in architecture and design professions to pursue talents and careers in these fields—remain relevant. For some participants, the Newhouse Competition serves as a stepping stone to pursuing careers in architecture and design.

A Valuable Experience

Since 1982, the CAC estimates over 11,000 students have participated in the Newhouse competition. In 2019, 522 projects were turned in by 792 students from 36 different schools. 76 unique zip codes were represented, with 52% of participants coming from south and west side neighborhoods.

In 1998, Newhouse alum Terrel Millsap and his classmates, with the leadership of their architecture teacher Jamie Rodriguez, brought the Newhouse Traveling Trophy to Chicago Vocational High School for the first time.

“The Newhouse Architecture and Design Competition was a spring-board to my career. I will never forget that experience,” he said. “Winning Newhouse provided the opportunity for me to explore architecture on a deeper level through my first internship at an architecture firm. A chain-reaction occurred and for the next 20+ years I would pursue a career in architecture.”

Millsap is now a licensed architect practicing in Florida.

Newhouse alumna Milena Marchan reflected, “Larger than the ribbons and trophies many of us went home with, what was most valuable about my Newhouse experience was the confidence it gave me. Newhouse in combination with other CAC youth education programs were crucial in helping me transition into higher education and other design spaces where my cultural and socioeconomic background wasn't being represented.”

Alberto Bahena, the 2010 grand prize winner in the physical model division, returned to the competition in 2019—this time, as a juror and a practicing architect. He said that winning gave him the “confidence to pursue architecture as a career and led to internships at prestigious design firms. In other words, Newhouse helped me secure a job in architecture right after graduating college. I am a huge fan of Newhouse and I will always be thankful for everything it allowed me to accomplish.”

Teen Talent on Display

The Newhouse Competition culminates in a celebration of the winning entries from students around the city and surrounding suburbs. Students see their work featured and receive valuable feedback from the esteemed architects and designers who jury their work, including Landon Bone Baker Architects, Perkins + Will, Ross Barney Architects and Holabird and Root. Today, Newhouse winners are awarded cash prizes, tickets for the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise Aboard Chicago's First Lady Cruises and the opportunity to shadow professionals in the field.

Despite some progress, architecture continues to be a discipline dominated by white men. The Newhouse Competition aims to chip away at that tradition, introducing youth from populations traditionally underrepresented in architecture in an exploration of how they might impact their own communities through architecture, construction, engineering and design.

Nicole Kowrach, Vice President of Education and Audience Engagement

This year, the Newhouse awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 21 at the Chicago Architecture Center. Divisions include architecture, construction, engineering, and community art. The Center will also host an exhibition about Newhouse and this year’s winners from May 21-June 20.

Since its founding, Newhouse alumni have earned advanced degrees and risen to management positions in leading firms, while others graduated from paid summer internships straight into professional careers using skills they developed as teenagers. Each of these individuals benefited from Senator Newhouse’s efforts to identify role models for high school students, and in turn, became role models themselves for subsequent generations of aspiring designers.

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Newhouse program, we honor the Senator’s vision to see the fields of architecture, construction, drafting, and city planning reflect Chicago’s rich diversity.

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A Headquarters Designed for Collaboration and Innovation

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When successful companies decide to create a new headquarters, they put an important stake in the ground — one that will represent their unique brand, values, and culture, while also taking into consideration future adaptability. They want a space that is the physical embodiment of who they are and what they stand for. NVIDIA, the Silicon Valley tech giant known for its pioneering GPU-accelerated computing driving innovation in AI, wanted a building that would bring its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity to life — and remind employees that they’re part of a bigger story.

NVIDIA’s core belief is that its people are its greatest asset, so the company enlisted Gensler to design a headquarters that would provide workers with spaces they need to push the creative envelope. Taking a cue from chip design, we designed NVIDIA’s campus to be a network of connections. Previous compartmentalized departments now share large open floor plates connected by highly-visible staircases. The design fosters impromptu interactions with multiple platforms and outdoor workspaces that facilitate creative thinking while showcasing NVIDIA’s commitment to sustainability. Natural daylighting, PV panels, and other sustainable strategies make this a LEED Gold building.

The triangular buildings of the NVIDIA campus help make it one of the most-recognizable headquarters in Silicon Valley. The company’s commitment to people and innovation are on full display with collaborative spaces and healthy indoor-outdoor designs. Immersing employees in nature while providing the necessary tools to be productive, the headquarters reinforces NVIDIA’s commitment to fostering togetherness and enhancing employee well-being. As a result, the new headquarters has become a model for the modern workplace and one of the most sought-after places to work.

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• Business Insider rounded up the coolest tech offices of 2024, featuring NVIDIA’s “futuristic headquarters.” Gensler Principal Hao Ko explained the design concept is “rooted in that idea that people do their best work when they are provided with a choice.”
• Business Insider spotlighted NVIDIA’s headquarters as one of the coolest offices of Big Tech firms. Principal Hao Ko believes that by refining workplaces based on how people use it, “we will continue to drive more innovation and a more resilient future.”
• The Wall Street Journal took a video tour of NVIDIA’s campus with Gensler Design Principal Hao Ko. The two focal buildings feature triangle motifs, biophilic elements, and active spaces designed to foster collaboration and maximize efficiency.

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The Best Design-Driven Tours with the Most Exclusive Access

Many guides show you major city landmarks and talk about the general history of a place, but these few operators are crafting trips using a fine lens (often with an award-winning architect) to highlight areas that are typically inaccessible to the public, with a strong design and architectural story.

“We started using architect-led experiences as a perfect example to cities’ history and evolution,” says Joan Roca, cofounder of Essentialist travel service, who started the site along with veteran editor Nancy Novogrod. Roca observes that more visitors now want to understand a city from a structural point of view. This includes “how a city has evolved from earlier days to what it is now,” he says, adding that much of how visitors can appreciate the full evolution is from an architectural point of view. “It’s a lot more nuanced than walking by and appreciating cultural landmarks.”

And now, with a general fascination for living like a royal (from the details of Meghan Markle’s wedding to the glittering aftermath of Downton Abbey ), more group tours plan itineraries with behind-the-scenes access to more than just the palace grounds. Herewith, six premier options.

Transcendent Travel: Windsor & the Great Park—A Royal Heritage Tour

An exterior view of Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

This royal weekend escape provides a rare opportunity to stay at Cumberland Lodge in the Windsor Great Park area outside London, which was built by one of Oliver Cromwell’s officers after the English Civil War and eventually became a royal residence. This particular itinerary gives guests a behind-the-scenes approach to areas not open to the public, including the castle vineyard (first planted here during the time of Henry II). Also included is a rare opportunity to tour St. George's Chapel, the site of the royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and enter the upper areas of the chapel to take in a rooftop tour. This allows visitors to view the remarkable architecture and enter Catherine of Aragon's Balcony, which was frequently used by Queen Victoria to privately view services and events (this area is normally off limits to the public). At a splendid reception in the Savill Rose Garden, there’s an opportunity to meet the team responsible for the 2018 royal wedding flowers. From $2,895 per person; transcendent-travel.com .

Red Savannah’s Royal Residence Tours in Thailand, Italy, and Transylvania, Romania

Valea Zalanului in Romania is owned by HRH Prince Charles and is a bucolic getaway.

The travel company offers trips to Chakrabongse Villas in Bangkok, which were originally built as a retreat from royal life by Prince Chakrabongse in 1908. Currently, the complex is owned by his granddaughter, Narisa, a Thai princess, who has her private home within the grounds. It has transformed into a boutique hotel with palpable heritage evident throughout in its interior design and decor. Another itinerary takes you on a tour to the 17th-century Palazzo Belmonte in Cilente, Italy (now a hotel), frequented by kings of Spain and Italy who used to hunt boar there. Perhaps the pinnacle of royal tours offered by Red Savannah is a trip to the private residence of HRH Prince Charles in the tiny hamlet of Valea Zalanului in Transylvania, Romania. Explore the peaceful area on horseback, at your own pace. All tours are custom-designed; redsavannah.com .

Essentialist’s “Architect-Led” Tours

An aerial view of Dubai's architecture.

Essentialist, a membership-based travel agency that provides curated getaways to places around the globe, has seen an increasing interest in demand for destinations that are rich in art, design, and architecture. Design-driven getaways to Mexico have a focus on the work of Luis Barragán, including a visit to the Casa Barragán (the only individual property in Latin America included on the UNESCO World Heritage List), as well as the lesser-known Tlalpan Chapel, which can only be visited with authorization from the nuns. In Mallorca, Essentialist arranges private visits to Can Lis, the private home designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, who designed the Sydney Opera House. In Dubai, visitors are paired with a leading Swiss architect who shows visitors the city sights through his trained eyes. All tours are custom-designed; essentialist.com .

Niquesa Travel’s Immersive Japan Architectural/Design Journey

Learning the art of calligraphy in Japan.

This London-based travel designer curates the crème de la crème of sights in its custom itineraries, and managing director Mark Allvey says that he has seen an increase in the demand for purely architectural tours. In Japan, one itinerary allows travelers to delve into the true concept and meaning of Zen by starting with Tokyo and Ginza to explore buildings including the Skytree—the country’s tallest at 2,080 feet. Then a visit to Nara, which is famous for its historic sites and ancient architecture, including the Horyuji Temple, whose temple pagoda is considered to be the oldest wooden building in the world, commissioned by Prince Shotoku (it became his palace in 607 A.D.). Some of the tours tap into the expertise of Ryue Nishizawa, a Tokyo-based architect and director of his own firm called Office of Ryue Nishizawa, and the youngest recipient of the Pritzker Prize in 2010. All tours are custom-designed; niquesatravel.com .

Architecturally Focused Private Walking Tour of Oslo by Klook

Oslo City Hall is the home of the famous Nobel Peace Prize—and one of the architectural sights on this design-centric walking tour of the city.

Oslo is now known for its rich architectural scene, which includes the Opera House designed by Snøhetta and inspired by glaciers and fjords. Since the city has faced many rebirths throughout its history, the architecture in the city’s key buildings is a testament to every new chapter. A private tour, accompanied by a certified professional guide, takes guests on a walk to see some of the city’s most noteworthy edifices, including the stories behind City Hall and the medieval Akershus Fortress that was built to protect and provide a royal residence for Oslo. $228 per person; klook.com .

African Travel: Cape to Cairo

In Giza, visitors tour the pyramids with an Egyptologist.

This 16-day itinerary takes you from Cape Town in South Africa to the pyramids of Egypt. Guests stay at the Belmond Mount Nelson hotel (painted pink for peace in 1918) at the foot of Table Mountain and explore estates that date back 300 years. The pinnacle of the journey may well be exploring the great pyramids of Giza with an Egyptologist guide, and visiting the Citadel complex and a Sultan Hassan mosque dating back from the 13th century. From $13,995 (pricing varies with seasonality); africantravelinc.com .

Searching for new architecture and design jobs? Kramer + deConciliis Architecture, Arcanum Architecture, Studio Murnane, CO-, and XTEN Architecture are currently hiring

In this week's  curated employer highlight  from  Archinect Jobs , we are featuring five architecture and design firms with current openings in Southold, New York , San Francisco , and Los Angeles .

For even more opportunities, visit the  Archinect job board  and explore our active community of  job seekers ,  firms , and  schools .

Residential design specialists  Kramer + deConciliis Architecture  has an opening for a Mid-Level Architect with three or more years of experience in Southold, New York. The ideal candidate has experience working on high-end residential projects, along with experience and/or interest in sustainable systems, materials, and assemblies. Experience with BIM workflow and Vectorworks is preferred. One must also possess strong communication skills.

In San Francisco,  Arcanum Architecture  has three exciting opportunities available: a Project Manager - Residential with seven-plus years of experience, a Job Captain Residential with five-plus years of experience, and a Job Captain Restaurant / Commercial with five to seven years of experience. The Project Manager - Residential and the Job Captain Residential should be proficient with AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Adobe Creative Suite. The Job Captain Restaurant / Commercial should be proficient with AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, and MS Office. Each role requires strong verbal, written, and graphic communication skills.

Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary design firm  Studio Murnane  is seeking an Intermediate Architect with at least four to seven years of experience and fluency in AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, V-Ray, and Adobe Creative Suite. Qualified applicants will have experience producing drawing sets, along with skills with physical model building. One must also possess strong project management skills and be highly organized and detail-oriented.

CO-  is hiring for a Junior Designer with two-plus years of experience and a Senior Architect with six-plus years of experience in San Francisco. Both positions require the ability to visualize clearly and compellingly in 2D and 3D with Adobe, Rhino, and various rendering engines, along with familiarity with Revit. They also call for knowledge of real estate finance and development and construction processes. Applicants should possess strong verbal and written communication skills. The Junior Designer should have strong physical modeling skills, as well.

In Los Angeles,  XTEN Architecture  is accepting applications for a Junior Architect with a minimum of one to three years of experience and proficiency with AutoCad, Revit, Rhino, Maxwell/ Vray, and Adobe Creative Suite. Strong applicants will possess excellent conceptual diagramming, 3d modeling, rendering, and presentation skills.

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