10 Masterpieces of Architecture That Transcend Time and Space

1. Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health, Las Vegas

Designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry, The Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health has become famous for its iconic Gehry style and irony.

Gehry has also designed monumental buildings such as the Bilbao Guggenheim, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Louis Vuitton foundation in Paris, to name a few.

2. Taipei 101, Taipei

The Taipei 101 was named the world’s tallest and largest green building after receiving platinum certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

It stands at 1670.6ft tall, and is also one of the most stable buildings ever constructed, due in part to the giant pendulum structure in its centre.

The 660-tonne sphere is the largest ‘mass damper’ in the world, and swings to counteract the sway caused by sometimes monsoonal winds.

3. The Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Standing at a mind boggling 2272ft in Dubai, The Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest manmade structure.

The view from the top…

4. The Cliff Village of Petra, Jordan

Also known as The Rose City due to the color of the stone from which its buildings are carved, the historical city of Petra is said to have been established as early as 312 BC.

In 2007, the city whose tombs and buildings are both built from, and carved into its cliffs, was named one of the Seven Wonders Of The World. It is one of the world’s richest archeological sites.

The incredibly elaborate architecture of Petra is surrounded by an ingenious water management system that allowed its inhabitants to survive in an arid and practically unlivable climate.

5. The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Moulded by the brilliant mind of Catalan Architect Antoni Gaudi, The Sagrada Familia is a Roman Catholic Church that began construction in 1882, and is still being built today. Its completion is projected to land in 2026, at the centenary of Gaudi’s death.

At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project had been completed. Its construction was then passed on to others who strived to carry out Gaudi’s vision – a task that has seen many controversies and conflicts arise.

Despite being incomplete, the magnificent structure has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

6. China Central Television Tower, Beijing

Standing at 767ft tall, China’s Central Television Tower is formed by two separate buildings bent at 90 degrees at each end to form a continuous loop.

It’s gravity-defying shape is made possible by the clever bracing effect seen on the tubes’ surfaces in an irregular grid pattern. The smaller the grid, the greater the support.

7. The Emporia Building, Malmö

The award winning design for this Swedish shopping centre has visitors entering beneath a giant, seemingly molten, glass chasm.

The Emporia Shopping Centre is the first completed building of a much larger plan, one which includes housing and office blocks. Once fully realized, the golden entrance will be the only visible piece of the Emporia.

8. Don Justo’s Cathedral, Madrid

After surviving Tuberculosis, a young monk named Don Justo Gallego was compelled by his undying faith to leave the order and begin a project that would span his entire life.
50 years on, now in his 80’s, and by the work of his hand alone, Don Justo has completed two thirds of his cathedral.

The incredible building is constructed almost entirely out of scavenged materials, and materials donated by building sites – for example, buckets filled with cement, air ducts, rebar and even newspapers.

What is even more incredible, is that Don Justo has had no architectural training or experience, and made no formal plans for the cathedral’s construction.

It is still unknown what will happen to Don Justo’s Cathedral after its creator has passed away, as no one has yet stepped up to continue its construction.

9. Falling Water, Pennsylvania

In 1934, America’s most appreciated architect of all time built his most renowned and celebrated work.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water is built partially over a waterfall on Bear Run, Pennsylvania. To make this possible, Wright used ‘cantilevering’ to allow for parts of the building to protrude across the water without external bracing.

Falling Water was named “the best all time work of american architecture” by the American Institute of Architects in 1991.

Its harmony with the surrounding environment and timeless design have seen the architectural marvel remain captivating to architects throughout the decades.

10. Alhambra (Calat Alhambra), Grenada

Constructed as a fortress in 889, this ancient masterpiece was then converted into a Muslim palace in 1333, later being used also by Christian inhabiters. It is now one of Spain’s main tourist attractions, exhibiting the most significant and celebrated example of Islamic architecture, as well as the later Christian influence.
All additions, repairs and alterations throughout time have adhered to the theme of ‘paradise on earth’.

Its astonishing decoration consists of Arabic inscriptions that have been formed into geometric patterned arabesques.