20 BEST ARCHITECTS OF ALL TIMES AND THEIR MOST FAMOUS BUILDING

Architecture is eminent than other art forms as it plays a major role in creating a daily experience for the users. The architecture depicts evolution through its function, aesthetics, and style or era of the structure. The world has witnessed many renowned architects who are still celebrated. Every architect has their individuality and is well known for their distinctive style. Here are the 20 best architects of all times and their most famous buildings. Following enlisted architects are a few from the many other renowned architects and are listed in no particular order.

1. Frank Lloyd Wright : [1867- 1959]

Famous Building: Falling water Residence, USA.

Frank Lloyd Wright was a creative American architect and a writer who completed more than 500 projects in his lifetime. He has inspired many young people to choose architecture as a profession in his times through, his proclaimed architectural works and through teaching at his architectural school. Wright is believed to be the bridging stone between traditional architectural style and the beginning of the modernists. The most widely drafted his projects in the American style, for instance, he included maximum horizontal lines in his low but long roofs which later were modified with some modernist character with time. He fostered the idea of emphasizing the lives of the occupants and had a very strong vision which is prominently noticeable in one of his most famous works ‘Falling water Residence’. Falling water is a confoundedly beautiful residence designed for the Kaufmann family in 1935. The most striking feature of the design is that it is constructed atop of a waterfall giving the residence an astonishing character. The design has cantilevered balconies and most horizontal lines, bringing in the dynamism and integration of the natural surroundings. Falling water remains Frank’s greatest and the most celebrated masterpiece.

2. Antoni Gaudi: [1852-1926]

Famous Building: Casa Batllo building in Barcelona, Spain.

Antoni Gaudi a Catalan architect who worked substantially within or near Barcelona all his life. Gaudi’s style depicts freedom of form, use of curvaceous textures and colours, etc. His work was colourful, he used mosaics, natural elements and most balconies designed were a skeleton. Gaudi designed Sagrada Familia which when completed will be the world’s tallest church. The construction of Sagrada started in 1882 under his guidance and is said to complete in 2027, that’s almost a 145-year long process, the most striking feature of which is the evolution of the structure where each reiteration gives a one-time experience. Casa Batllo in Spain is Gaudi’s most poetic and artistic project which is now announced as a World Heritage by UNESCO. He has used curves and skeleton balconies yet again. The lustrous colours and the use of glazed ceramic and glass attract eyeballs and never fails to amaze visitors. Casa Batllo has been designed with great precision where every small aspect and design element has been well thought of. Though Gaudi was a bad student at his Architecture School, he ultimately proved worthy of the academic title and maybe much more than that.

3. Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe: [1886 - 1969]

Famous Building: Farnsworth House, Illinois

Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe was a German-born American Architect and is said to have influenced many young architects of the generation. His design style dominantly being modern the body of work is very simple, elegant, and classy with the choice of forms, rich materials, and textures. He was awarded the AIA Gold Medal in 1960 for his exceptional contribution to the field and Chicago’s skyline. He believed the philosophy ‘less is more’ and it reflects in his projects that focus on details. For instance, Ludwig’s Farnsworth House in Illinois is simple, elegant, and also one of his most famous designs. The house was designed for Dr. Edith Farnsworth as her second home where she wished to spend some peaceful time. Farnsworth House is one-room steel and glass weekend home. It’s a single-story house where eight steel columns support the slabs that form the floor and ceiling and in-between lies floor to the ceiling glass wall. Choice of the material allows the interrelation of nature and house which is seemingly tranquil. Though the house witnessed issues of exceeding costs and dispute between the client and the architect which lead to a court case where the judgment was ruled in Ludwig’s favor, the sophisticated design marks as an achievement in the international architectural style.

4. Frank Gehry: [1929 - present]

Famous Building: Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA.

Frank Gehry is a Canadian American architect known worldwide for his unique postmodern style design structures. Gehry is known to experiment with bold designs, shapes, and unusual fabrications. In his early career, Gehry designed sculptures and furniture which is largely reflected in his architectural projects through his choice of form and building material. He has the determination to turn his sketches to live projects for which he induced computer technology to discover the engineering solutions. He was awarded the Pritzker Architectural Prize in 1989 followed by many more to celebrate his contribution to architecture. One of his most famous structures Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA was completed in 2003 and is internationally appreciated as an architectural landmark. An architectural marvel that has a distinct exterior that is certainly noticeable and is one of the most sophisticated concert halls. It is a fascinating combination of intense shapes and forms, seems like a mystery every time a visitor sees it. The curved exteriors of stainless steel look unique and share a creative spirit. Walt Disney Concert Hall is one of Gehry’s unique and striking projects. Gehry is popular for his celebrity status and is one of the world’s foremost contemporary architects.

5. Norman Foster: [1935 – present]

Famous Building: Beijing Capital International Airport, China.

Norman Foster who is renowned for his modern buildings is an award-winning British architect. His designs are sleek and the spaces are well managed. Foster widely used steel and glass in contoured facades. He now manages his time mostly only in designing while he has more than 1,000 employees in his firm ‘Foster + Partners’. Foster has established himself to be known as one of the world’s chief in the high-tech design and focuses on creating a more flexible relationship between the interiors and exteriors. In 1999 Foster was awarded the Pritzker Prize and later won numerous awards that acknowledged his contribution. One of his large and acclaimed projects is the Beijing Capital International Airport in China that handles around 1,800 flights in a day and is the world’s second-largest and busiest airport. It is said to be one of his most efficient buildings in terms of user experience, comfort, sustainability, and integration of natural light. Chinese culture is reflected in the dragon-like roof form and the conflagration of Chinese colors if reds and golden. A steel space frame roof that rises at the midpoint and the curves taper towards the end gives a dramatic illusion to space. Foster + Partners have induced varied passive environmental design concepts for instance some skylights are south-east oriented and environment-control system that cuts down the energy consumption making the project sustainable. Beijing Airport is thus one of the most intelligently designed structures in the world. He is currently focused on his firm and constantly striving and working as a global manager.

6. Renzo Piano: [1937 - present]

Famous Building: The Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Renzo Piano an Italian architect and engineer who is recognized for his elegant and concentrated approach towards the design along with his high-tech public spaces. Piano doesn’t have a particular style of designing, he believes in finding a solution to every project as a unique problem that has a particular solution. His designs reflect that he is an engineer too with the integration of technology and structural language. He is one of the many recipients of the Pritzker Architecture Prize that acknowledged his work and the panel also compared him to Leonardo da Vinci for his curiosity and versatility. One of his famous buildings ‘The Centre Pompidou’ in Paris won the design competition that captivated more museum commissions that led to Piano being the world’s most creative museum designer. Pompidou is a landmark that intensified the movement with its striking structure and mechanical services that are on display on the exterior. This inside-out building is six storeys tall and has huge column-free spaces. The concept of placing all the services including elevators, corridors, and structural members on the exteriors allowed the internal spaces to be huge and rearrangeable. Bright colors to the services in the exterior adds to the uniqueness and surely grabs the attention of the people passing by. One distinctive part of the proposal was that only half of the site would be occupied by the structure, the rest would be open to the public as a public square. Pompidou certainly displays a great piece of engineering that is unique and massive. His choice of not following the family tradition of becoming a contractor, but to choose to design and become an architect was perhaps one of the best choices he made.

7. Santiago Calatrava: [1951 - present]

Famous Building: Turning Torso, Sweden.

Santiago Calatrava is a Spanish architect who is famous for his bridges and structural modeling. The bridge that he designed in Spain for visitors to be able to commute to the exhibitions has been acclaimed internationally. The dramatic design is supported by cables, maneuvering the sculptor within him along with the engineer. Calatrava has designed many famous bridges and is often misunderstood for going over budget while creating those, which happens as he goes by the form and not the function which results in the aesthetical aspect costing more. The shapes and rhythms in his architectural designs reflect his inspiration from nature. For instance, a twisting spinal cord or a turning human body formulated the concept for The Turning Torso, a bird with outspread wings has resembled while designing the Lyon Airport Railway Station, etc. Calatrava started to introduce moveable aspects in his projects like the segmental roof pieces were used in one of his lighting designs. Turning Torso is one of his famous projects that stands as the tallest tower in Sweden. His inspiration for this project was a turning human body that replicated in the turning columns. A sculpture made by Calatrava himself has been said to have planted a seed of this idea of a tower that stands unique. Nine pentagonal segments rotate around the core, each segment holding five floors. A steel framework supports the structure externally. Turning Torso is that architectural product that has surpassed the signature tower creations and has created an engineering marvel. The architect and engineer within him helped him create unique structures that are futuristic and have an inclination of going over budget. Calatrava is an extremist with good taste.

8. Zaha Hadid: [1950 - 2016]

Famous Building: Heydar Aliyev Centre, Azerbaijan.

Zaha Hadid, an Iraqi-born British designer is the first female architect to win The Pritzker Architecture Prize. She established her firm Zaha Hadid Architects in 1980 which is an international firm. ZHA continues to practice in many types of spaces and is renowned for the diversity in their projects from cultural, corporate structures to sporting infrastructure. Her breakthrough to international recognition was through her win for The Peak at a competition. There was a time in Hadid’s career where she was identified as a ‘paper architect’ as the designs were too futuristic to progress to an actual construction phase from just a sketch. She is renowned for her alluring rendered designs and the way they are presented. Her designs most often represented curves and a flow that required a specific and high-end construction method and material. One such project of hers that is famous for its unique design is Heydar Aliyev Centre, Azerbaijan constructed in 2013. The centre is designed as a key building for Bakau’s cultural programs. The form is free-flowing and the curves connect with the surrounding, which also makes the building’s skin the most challenging part of the construction. The space frame system helped in creating huge column-free spaces that allow the users to enjoy the interiors with flexibility. Heydar is Hadid’s one of the most astonishing and striking projects that unwind the future and broadens the vision to experiment. Hadid’s portfolio not only includes major architectural structures that have enhanced many skylines but also embraces unique products, furniture, jewelry, shoes, etc. that are owned by many today. Hadid passed away in 2016, she was a very versatile, experimental, and extremely optimistic designer who fought against all odds to make her name as a designer.

9. Charles Correa : [1930 – 2015]

Famous Building: Kanchanjunga Apartments, Bombay.

Charles Correa was an Indian architect and urban planner who is specifically famous for his revamping Modernist design principles to local climate and structure style. He has worked internationally and has completed a variety of projects with a different context, approach, and style. Correa’s initial work had an amalgamation of local culture in architecture. He solved the housing issue by planning houses horizontally in context to the site and not high-rise buildings for instance the urban low-cost housing planned at Belapur in Mumbai. Correa believed in using open spaces and interaction areas as a part of the house and implemented the same through verandas, pergolas, terraces, and open courtyards in a majority of his projects. He designed spaces such that each room can be used at a particular time of the day using passive ventilation. One such project by Correa stands in Mumbai enhancing the skyline with the high-rise residential structure – Kanchanjunga Apartments, Mumbai. In response to solving the climate issue while designing the Kanchanjunga Correa very smartly planned verandas to living rooms that created a protective layer against the hot sun and heavy rains and at the same time seize the east-west breeze and the best view of the city. This was the first of its kind in India which also is a modern exposition of a traditional Indian bungalow. Charles Correa recounted as ‘India’s greatest architect’ passed away in 2015 after suffering a small illness.

10. Ieoh Ming Pei (I M Pei) : [1917 - 2019]

Famous Building: Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong.

I M Pei a Chinese-American architect well known for his magnificent urban buildings. Pei is one of the recipients of The Pritzker Architecture Prize and many other honors. He began his career by working for a real estate company to ultimately become one of the most renowned architects of the modernist generation. Pei founded his firm in 1955, today known as Pei Cobb Freed and Partners where he retired from his practice as a full-time architect and reduced his workload recently to become a consultant. Pei designed many public buildings in his career but he had been equally involved in urban renewal planning. His designs are simple where mostly the use of geometric shapes is noticed. Another attribute of his design is the dramatic use of simple geometric shapes, materials, and surfaces. Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong is one of the skyscrapers designed by Pei that is observed to have all these elements. The project brief suggested Pei create a headquarter that will be inevitably tall and would depict the hope of the Chinese people. It is 70 stories tall and is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Honk Kong. An amalgamation of architecture and engineering is visible in the reflective glass skin, where the modern composite structural system eliminated the use of extra steel that normally this size of a project would require. Pei’s Exceptional career extended for over seven decades until he passed away in 2019 at the age of 102, he designed some of the world’s most symbolic and famous buildings.

11. Le Corbusier : [1887 – 1965]

Famous Building: Palace of Justice, India primarily famous as the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Le Corbusier was a Swiss-born French architect, painter, and writer. He has worked all over the world during his career, where he designed many buildings that have their own identity and significance today. Corbusier’s impact on contemporary architecture is remarkable, his designs merge functionalism with expressionism. He pioneered the use of rough-cast concrete with relevant study in his sculptural forms. Corbusier was always inclined towards designing for a large group of people like a public building, later he also designed individual houses for privileged individuals. He was invited by the first Indian Prime Minister to design Chandigarh, the new capital state of Punjab in 1950. It was the first time that Corbusier got a chance to be able to implement his principles of city planning on such a large scale. Seventeen of his works were names World Heritage sites by UNESCO recently, one of which is the Palace of Justice in India designed by Corbusier without any reference to local traditions. The signature style of design that is seen in most of his structures in India is also noticed here, for instance, unfinished concrete on the surfaces. Windows have concrete sun shades that are wide, monumental ramps are also used in the project with the integration of sculptures. The scale of the structure surpassed the functional requirements but that was the brief given to him by the Prime Minister. Corbusier tackled the harsh sun, heavy rain problems along with the availability of only poor materials and not so skilled laborers yet managed to create a world heritage. He is one of the most influential designers the world has seen.

12. Moshe Safdie: [1938 - present]

Famous Building: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Moshe Safdie who was born in Israel and brought up in Canada acclaimed international recognition with his housing complex Habitat 67. Safdie is a theorist, architect, and educator who has made a mark in developing cultural buildings, converting his extremism into a noticeable yet sensitive style. He has always urged on the fusion of green spaces into public spaces through his designs. His use of prefabricated housing in Habitat 67 that is cheaper sparked a revolution and is considered an architectural wonder. One such wonder is the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore designed by Safdie where three towers with multiple facilities are linked with a cantilever sky garden. House of cards was his inspiration for the design concept where the cards that are leaned against one another to form a base lean inwards to form very expressive curves when applied pressure by the horizontal card placed on the top. Safdie wanted to create a structure that will attain international recognition as a must-visit tourist attraction like the Sydney Opera House that nobody misses to visit when in Sydney. It showcases an outcome of a combination of great architecture and engineering that was made possible even after all the difficulties in the process. Safdie has won many awards including the Gold Medal by the American Institute of Architects. His dedication towards his work is seen in the Khalsa Heritage Museum, India where he studied the Sikh religion for about two years to know enough about the culture that he can design a museum that looked 300 years old.

13. Oscar Niemeyer : [1907 - 2012]

Famous Building: Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, Brazil.

Oscar Niemeyer a Brazilian architect was one of the best architects in Brazil. He initially started working under an urban planner and later started working as Le Corbusier’s draftsman. His first project as a team leader that gained him international recognition as a designer was the National Congress of Brazil. Followed which Niemeyer was invited to be a part of the largest urban and architectural project in Brazil – the New Capital, Brasilia. His designs portrayed freedom through their free-flowing form and simple appearance. One such free-flowing flower-like building known as the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum in Brazil is designed by Niemeyer. The structure is made in reinforced concrete that is painted white and all the four levels are connected by a spiral staircase. He wanted to create a building that unites totally with the landscape with an unconventional building design. The structure not only has a museum but also holds a restaurant, auditorium, café, exhibition hall, and services. The ribbon window that runs along the periphery of the middle two floors gives the visitors a spectacular view over the city and the bay. Today the museum has become an attraction and a structure that has its recognition that people do not want to miss visiting it. Niemeyer who was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize established the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation that is committed to architectural preservation and research.

14. Louis Kahn : [1901 - 1974]

Famous Building: Bangladesh National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Bangladesh.

Louis Kahn one of the greatest American architects who got global recognition very late in his career managed to leave a mark in the community of great Modernist architects. He had happened to come across as a ‘guru’ with all the intuitive understanding of architecture and the fact that he was a lecturer. His last built work – Four Freedoms Park was constructed after his demise when the drawings were found in his briefcase the day he arrived in New York. The noticeable attributes of most of his designs were that the buildings looked powerful with the massive forms, volume, and mature design. Recently one of his projects in India the IIM in Ahmedabad was in the news for the consideration of rebuilding the student’s dorms designed by Kahn but later the idea was dropped after opposition. The Bangladesh National Parliament or the Jatiya Sangsad Bhabam in Dhaka designed by Kahn is an example of a modernist architecture style that is retyped as a Bangali vernacular architecture. Though the work was commissioned before the independence with a completely different idea and concept, post the independence however it all changed. Kahn designed the Parliament as a symbol of pride and democracy for the Bangali people. The design represents the heritage and culture of Bangladesh. There is an artificial lake that covers three sides of the magnificent Bhaban structure giving a cooling effect, interesting lighting, and adds to the aesthetics of the structure. The building symbolizes the freedom and pride of the people with the scale of the structure the budget with which it was built and the capability of using locally available materials and creating a historical building. Kahn was one of the elected fellows in the American Institute of Architects and later was awarded the AIA Gold Medal.

15. Adrian Smith: [1944 - present]

Famous Building: Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

Adrian Smith an American Architect who was very keen on making tall buildings as a child has designed many skyscrapers that have become landmarks, enhanced skylines, and certainly created history. Along with designing tall buildings Adrian also works towards making the building sustainable. He is constantly working towards making the existing buildings green and aims to make the building design industry ‘zero net energy’ buildings by 2030. Adrian considers each project coherently, taking into account the climate, geography, cultural and social influences, and most important the site orientation to fabricate a structure that is complete in itself to stand ahead in sustainability and conceptualism. He started designing the world’s tallest man-made structure – Burj Khalifa while he was associated with SOM. The skyscraper was completed in 2010 and still stands as the tallest free-standing structure in the world and holds many world records in its name. The concept was influenced by the hymenocallis flower that has three lobes attached to the core. The basic structure includes a core structure that has three elements attached to it whose cross-section is varied at different levels. As the structure is multi-functional that includes residential and hotel rooms the ideal floor plan to give maximum views, ventilation, and natural light is the Y-shaped plan. This 206 floored skyscraper designed by Adrian is a wonder the world has witnessed and is still celebrated. Projects completed under Adrian’s guidance have won him more than 125 awards for excellence. He is a registered architect in 12 states of the US that shows that he is making the most of his talent and is unstoppable.

16. B V Doshi : [1927 - present]

Famous Building: Centre for Environment Planning and Technology (CEPT), India.

Dr. Bal Krishna V Doshi better known as B V Doshi is the first-ever Indian Architect to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2018. Doshi began his career by working with Le Corbusier who he still admires and looks up to. He was one of the designers who were actively involved in the design of Chandigarh, where Doshi was assigned the task of designing the living spaces for the government servants. Doshi’s designs show sensitivity and concern towards low-cost housing, gathering spaces, and climate considerations. He founded his firm ‘Vastushilpa Consultants’ in Ahmedabad that has completed over 100 projects. His philosophy of minimalist designs to waste little space and material is followed in his firm as well. One such project of his is the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) which is in Ahmedabad is one of the best Architectural colleges in India and the best example of interesting pathways and spatial planning. Extensive use of trees is done to envelop the building thus creating a cool atmosphere and provide privacy to the semi-open spaces from the road. Local materials are used thus making it low cost and keeping them exposed makes it easy for future expansion and also maintenance. The idea of a closed studio is eliminated by creating semi-private spaces that are facing the exterior that takes the students closer to nature. Doshi has always been very considerate while designing structures all over India in terms of cost, climate, context, etc. which has made him stand out as a designer. Doshi has worked extensively in contributing the best to Indian Architecture and has become the first Architect to receive the Padma Bhushan.

17. Philip Johnson: [1906 - 2005]

Famous Building: Crystal Cathedral / Cristal Cathedral, United States.

Philip Johnson an American architect is the first-ever recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize who along with being an architect also was a critic renowned for his international and postmodernist architecture style. Johnson was a curator, he coined the ‘International architecture style’ and played a vital role in defining the concept. Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was his mentor and Johnson was lucky to have got an opportunity to work with him on Seagram Building in New York that was highly appreciated. He was influenced by his mentor so much that he designed his residence, better known as the Glass House resembling the Farnsworth house, this project gave him recognition. The American Telephone and Telegraph headquarter building is considered to be a landmark in the history of postmodern architecture which is designed by Johnson. The Crystal Cathedral designed by him has a television studio and a stage for a gathering of about 3,000. The structure has a framework of steel trusses to which about ten thousand glass panels are fixed. The counterpart of the cathedral which is a steel tower is also conceptualized by Johnson. The mirrored glass used for the skin of the building creates a passive ventilation system. Johnson was able to complete the structure in 1980 along with John Burgee which is an independent structure that sparkles with sunlight. Johnson along with winning the first Pritzker Architecture Prize also won several other honors including the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and continued to work until the early 21^st century.

18. Richard Rogers : [1933 - present]

Famous Building: 3 World Trade Center, New York

Richard Rogers, an Italian-born British architect is one of the principal architects of the British High-tech movement. The Pritzker Architecture prize winner believes in celebrating every component of a structure which is noticeable in most of his designs. Roger began his career with Team 4 a firm set up by Norman Foster, Roger, and their respective wives that earned reputation quickly. The partnership broke later but Roger continued to work with his wife. His career graph accelerated after the duo of Roger and Renzo Piano won a competition for the Pompidou Centre. His concept of inside out was unique and got him fame. Most of Rogers’s works have been controversial yet iconic structures. Post the old World Trade Center that was destroyed in an attack in 2011, Roger was commissioned to replace the structure with ‘3 World Trade Center’. 3 World Trade Center was completed in 2018, an 80- storey commercial building that connects to 11 subway lines and PATH trains underground. Considering the requirements of modern business of creating flexible column-free corners and spaces, the design incorporates external bracings that give building stability and special flexibility. The k-shaped bracing is a unique load-sharing system that adds scale as well as creates a shadow, it also highlights volume and fabricates a more slender appearance. The green design feature helps in reducing costs compared to an office building of the same scale that was appreciated and honored with a ‘Gold’ Certificate for LEED from the US Green Building Council. Roger in 2020 announced his retirement after 43 years of working in his firm ‘Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners.

19. Jeanne Gang : [1964 - present]

Famous Building: Aqua Tower at Lakeshore East Apartments, USA

Jeanne Gang an American architect was the only architect to make it to the list of 100 most influential people on Time magazine in 2019. She is well known for her inventive responses to the issue of the environment and sustainability. Gang creates spaces that connect people with each other and with the environment. The method of working that is followed by her entire team includes research, experimentation, and collaboration within and outside the traditional systems creates innovative and diverse designs that are award-winning. Gang has designed the tallest building that is ever designed by a female architect- Aqua Tower. Aqua tower is a mixed-use skyscraper in the USA and the project that is said to be the best from her firm. The chief attribute that grabs attention is the curved concrete balcony overhangs which actually along with enhancing the skyscraper aesthetically also disperse strong winds. These overhangs allow the skyscraper to hold balconies on every floor and through all four sides. Aqua Tower when it was constructed had the biggest green roof. Gang believes in equality at work and the profession and is vocal about it. She started to revolutionize her firm by eliminating the gender pay group.

20. Daniel Burnham : [1846 - 1912]

Famous Building: Flatiron Building, United States

Daniel Burnham, an American architect and urban planner whose impact is still felt on urban planning and American city even after many years of his demise. His partnership with John Wellborn Root proved to be a major success in his career and got them many commissions together. He played a vital role in the construction of the White City that in the future was appreciated and recognized. Burnham was an expert in urban planning which is prominently seen in his Plan of Chicago. The plan was made after considering all aspects and research on the convenience of businesses and private citizen’s enjoyment. Along with designing a much-appreciated city, Burnham along with Root designed the very first skyscraper in those times. One such skyscraper Flatiron Building in the US is designed by Burham in 1902. Flatiron is one of the most widely recognized buildings of the 20^th century. It has a unique triangular design at a road intersection, the structure appears solid and heavy with a very firm base that becomes slender as the floors increase. To magnify the heavy appearance of the structure it is clad in limestone and glazed terra cotta. An interesting spatial configuration is created because of the narrow profile that gives fascinating par anomic views from the corner windows. It is over a 100-year-old landmark in NY that still attracts international tourists. During that period architecture was not yet established as a profession, Burnham categorized his office to work efficiently and create a prototype for future architectural firms.