Iconic building

Throughout the world cities are striving to build the iconic building as an architectural landmark. Charles Jencks looks at this trend and some of the recent buildings created to impress. Not all iconic building projects are successful. Building projects described include New Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao; Selfridges, Birmingham; Ontario College of Art and Design, Ontario; Lyon Airport Station; Olympic Stadium, Beijing; Ronchamp Church; London City Hall, Disney Hall and the Swiss Re building in London better known as The Gherkin. Australian iconic buildings discussed are the Sydney Opera House, Parliament House in Canberra, and Federation Square in Melbourne. Jencks also has a chapter on the Ground Zero project in New York. An interesting illustrated study of modern city architecture.