The Eiffel Tower may be the landmark that springs most readily to mind when thinking of Paris, but for sheer complexity, it’s hard to go past the Pompidou Centre. Designed by architects from Italy and the UK – among which Renzo Piano was especially notable – it was the winning entry out of 681 submitted in a competition to create a multicultural complex, which attracted more than five times the expected number of visitors in its first two decades.
10. Dancing House, Prague
In a city so well known for its Baroque and Gothic architecture, the Dancing House cuts an unusual and striking figure. Now a luxury hotel, it was constructed in the nineties and designed in the deconstructivist style. Its curving lines earned it the nickname of the Fred and Ginger building; the legendary dancing duo also give their names to the restaurant on the top floor, from which there are marvelous views of the city.
