#Architectural Icons – 30 Beautiful Modern Buildings From Around The World

As wanderlusters, we spend a lot of time chasing down natural wonders and epic landscapes – and no surprise, since many of them are destinations which could, quite literally, change your life. Adventure seekers are also drawn to the fact that many such sights are remote and difficult to access – making the end goal all the more desirable, and imbuing the journey with an even greater sense of fulfilment. But there are many marvels to be experienced by city-slickers, too, ones made by our very kind – sleek, modern ones contrasting with grand historical edifices, and punctuating city skylines with contemporary genius. Even those more at home in wide open spaces will have to agree that these architectural structures give Mother Nature a run for her money in the design stakes.

1. Sydney Opera House, Australia

The gleaming white sails of this iconic multi-venue arts center are synonymous with Sydney, contrasting with the blue of its harbor and skies, and backed by the equally distinctive Harbor Bridge. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, it was formally opened in 1973 – but by then Utzon had left the country, and never returned to see his masterpiece completed.

2. The Shard, London, UK

Thrusting 95 storeys into the sky above the London skyline, Renzo Piano’s Shard is the tallest building in the whole of the United Kingdom. English Heritage organizations were resistant to its design, saying that it would be “a shard of glass through the heart of historic London” but since its inauguration in 2012, it has become as much as part of the London landscape as St Paul’s, with thousands of visitors ascending its dizzying heights to admire views of the capital from its observation deck.