Rising 412 meters in the center of Kuwait City, Al Hamra Firdous Tower is a landmark tower of iconic sculptural form that offers breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. Arch.: SOM Skidmore, Owings, Merrill - Chicago/USA

With the design of the new Manaus stadium, the aim was to come up with a very simple but highly efficient stadium that would specifically symbolize the location.

With the design for the Burj Al-Taqa, the German architectural firm Gerber Architekten international GmbH in cooperation with the environmental engineers DS-Plan has presented plans for a revolutionary ecological high-rise building.

Goal of the intervention at Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz was to create a contemporary urban public space that negotiates between the various contradictory conditions. Arch.: LAAC Architects, Innsbruck

The Elbphilharmonie will be located on a historically significant site at the Hamburg harbour. It will be constructed at the point of the Sandtorhafen. It is the first industrial harbour basin Hamburg's. Arch.: Herzog & du Meuron, Basel/Schweiz

The stadium and the smaller multifunctional hall next door are therefore respectively nicknamed the Mineirão and Mineirinho. It is today the home of two historic first-division Brazilian clubs. Arch.: gmp Architects, Hamburg

Designed and planned by Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer and constructed within three years in a heroic tour de force, Brasília is the only new 20th-century city to be declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

The conversion and extension of the Chinese National Museum combines the former Chinese History Museum with the Chinese Revolutionary Museum. Arch.: gmp Architects, Hamburg

The Shanghai Oriental Sports Center (SOSC) opened for the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships 2011. The sports complex was designed and built by architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners. Arch.: gmp-Architects

The conference center - the largest in Italy - follows an innovative concept in that it combines conferences with exhibitions; at the same time it is also an urban design pilot project for a cultural center nearby. Arch.: gmp Architects, Hamburg

The Dynamic Tower, a building in motion, represents the future of architecture, resulting in a new era of living that will benefit both man and nature. Arch.: Dr. David Fisher Dynamic Architecture, Florenz

After a construction period of two and a half years, von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects (gmp) have completed the Tianjin West Railway Station in China. Arch.: gmp Architects, Hamburg

In the Netherlands over 50 spots are marked on the map as starting points for recreational use of the rural landscape. A viewing tower, 25 meters high, with sport facilities like climbing and abseiling is the main attraction. Arch.: Ateliereen Architecten

Drawing inspiration from Natal’s splendid sand dunes, Natal’s new stadium designed for the 2014 FIFA World Cup has become known as Estadio das Dunas (Stadium of the Dunes). Arch.: Populous Architects, USA

Located within the walls of the Theresienhospital building, the Kameha Residence Dusseldorf seamlessly blends old with new, historic with futuristic. The project will feature 40 fully equipped and extraordinary living spaces. Arch.: tecDesign

The Legia football stadium is situated in a park in the historical quarter of Warsaw. It's the stadium of the Warsaw football club Legia and can accommodate 31 000 spectators. Arch.: JSK Architekci, Warsaw

In Leipzig, the German National Library‘s latest extension has opened after an almost four-year construction period. Founded in 1912, this is the library‘s fourth extension. Arch.: Gabriele Glöckler and ZSP Architekten architecture

In May 2011, the official opening of the Peter Minuit Plaza and the dedication of the New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion took place in Battery Park, New York. Arch.: Un Studio Amsterdam

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup, the premier international football tournament. It is scheduled to take place between 11 June and 11 July 2010 in South Africa.

The new Asia Pacific headquarters for Infineon Technologies characterizes teh Spirit of Infineon as a forward-thinking company. Arch.: tecDesign

Located on a high eastern-facing ridge with views downtown Los Angeles in the distance, the Banyan Treehouse is a diminutive art studio and sanctuary. Arch.: Rockefeller Partner Architets

This project is located in the coastal town of Budva in Montenegro. The design and the layout of the towers will give the project important advantages. Arch.: DNA Architects Barcelona

Beton Hala is today an open and spontaneous cultural hub in Serbias capital, Belgrade. The new building assumes this identity and provides more space for spontaneity and creativity. Archi.: Giudice Architects, Sweden

To create Burj Khalifa - a building that shatters all previous height records at 828m - a team of more than 90 SOM designers and engineers combined cutting-edge technology and culturally-influenced design to create a global icon that will serve as a model for future urban centers.

CAPITAL GATE, owned and developed in Abu Dhabi by ADNEC, has been certified as the 'World's Furthest Leaning Manmade Tower', by Guinness World Records. Arch.: RMJM Architects

The 50.000 sm (540,000 sf) Chongqing Library is an important educational, cultural, and social center where people will meet to study, access knowledge, and exchange ideas. Arch.: Perkins Eastman Architects

Chu Hai College has traditionally emphasised a multidisciplinary and wide-ranging education for its 4,000 students engaged in the four-year degree curriculum. Arch.: OMA - Office for Metropolitan Architecture

Coca-Cola-Park is the centerpiece of a sporting sector in the south-east of Johannesburg, where it neighbours Johannesburg Stadium (athletics), Standard Bank Arena (tennis), and an Olympic-class swimming pool.

After perennial design and construction phase the congress center of the new city administration of Hangzhou, China is completed. Arch.: Peter Ruge Architects, Berlin

Within Abu Dhabi's skyline, the Corniche represents an internationally high standard and state of the art design. The concept follows the original guidelines, simple yet exclusive. Arch.: LAVA Europe

The combination of a free developed shape, a special defined base and the careful consideration of the Hafencity elevation concept guarantees the Integration of the project in the urban context. Arch.: Massimiliano Fuksas Architetto

Perkins Eastman provided architectural and interior design for the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and MSKCC Imaging Center, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Arch.: Perkins Eastman Architects

The main driving force behind the design of the Austrian Pavilion for the EXPO in Shanghai 2010 can be described as acoustic forces, or more accurately as music. Arch.: SPAN & ZEYTINOGLU ARCHITECS Vienna/Austria

At the centre of the landmark Yas Island mega-scheme in Abu Dhabi, sits the world's first Ferrari Theme Park, designed by Benoy - a thrilling brand experience like no other. Arch.: Benoy Architects, Great Britain

Conceived as a free-standing sculpture on an eye-catching site, the planned Filmmuseum in Amsterdam has yet to find its equal in kind and dimensions anywhere in the world. Arch.: Delugan Meissl Associtated Architects Wien

Home to some of the country's most fanatical group of supporters, the Free State Stadium is likely to be the centre of attention during the FIFA World Cup.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP has been awarded the Master Plan commission for FTP City in Danang, Vietnam. This is SOM's second project win in the country and follows the firm's great success of Green Tech City, Hanoi. Arch.: SOM Architects, Chicago

The building was designed by Fuksas Architects as an architectural element like a sculpture, autonomous. Adaptation to the needs of the "Zenith", the building also reveals its role emblematic of room for performances, a playful space.

GE Energy Financial Services, was presented a design award by the Connecticut Chapter of the United States Green Building Council for its recently completed headquarters. Arch.: Perkins Eastman Architects

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM) has been awarded the Master Plan commission for Golden Hills, and Eco-Urban Community in Danang, Vietnam. Arch.: SOM Architects, Chicago

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Inc (SOM) has been awarded, by Blenheim Properties, the commission for the master plan for Green Tech City in Hanoi, Vietnam. Archi.: SOM Skidmore, Owings, Merrill - Chicago/USA

Halley VI designed by AECOM and Hugh Broughton Architects for British Antarctic Survey is being built in Antarctica by Galliford Try International. Arch.: Broughton Architects London

Danish law firm Horten wanted their new headquarters to present itself in a contemporary as well as classical and solid way. Arch.: 3XN Architects Denmark

The preliminary vision for Songdo Landmark City, located in Districts Six and Eight of Songdo, is a multi-use development with the centerpiece being the 151-story Incheon Tower. Arch.: John Portman & Associates Inc.

The exposition, which for the first time was held in London's Hyde Park in the year 1851, is a global event, a meeting of nations and cultures like no other. Joint-Venture: Leimer/Bachschuster/Grossert/Kruse, Shanghai

The Asia Pacific region, an evolving hub for advanced technology and creative intelligence, benefits from a unique juxtaposition of hi-tech development and natural environment. Arch.: tecDesign

Qatar Airways is leading the race in redeveloping the region’s future aviation hub, the New Doha International Airport.

Officially opened to the public on 21 July 2009, the 61,300 m² retail mall represents a significant expansion of Singapore’s public sphere, providing both internal and external spaces to be enjoyed by all. Arch.: Benoy Architects London

The new reception building is the result of a congenial collaboration with the famous architect Daniel Libeskind: a residential sculpture without equal. Arch.: STUDIO DANIEL LIBESKIND New York/USA

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, situated in Tshwane/Pretoria, is one of the oldest stadiums in South Africa. The stadium has been used for major sporting events since 1903. Arch.: IngPlan Africa

The fluidity and movement of the facade of the Luxuary Tower, is a clever game of its terraces that provide great solar protection to the units, an outstanding beauty within the urban context. Archi.: DNA Barcelona Architects

Erik Giudice Architects have been announced as winners of the invited consultation for the design of Malmo's New Fair and Exhibition Centre. Archi.: Giudice Architects

The Integrated Resort is a microcosm of a city. It is a district, not a project. It must possess all the attributes that have made cities great. The Marina Bay Sands

The Mbombela Stadium has been built for the FIFA Football World-Cup South Africa 2010. As the only one of the 5 new Stadiums Mbombela by R&L Architects is the only purely South African designed.

The building reveals a number of design ideas which make it a leading project in contemporary world architecture. Arch.: Woods Bagot / NH Architecture, Melbourne

Inspired by the geometrical order of a snowflake and the aerodynamics of a Formula 1 racing car, the tower encapsulates speed, fluid dynamics, future technology and natural patterns of organisation. Arch.: LAVA Europe

Middelfart Savings Bank is a key institution in the town of Middelfart, located by the Lillebælt waters on the island of Funen, Denmark. Arch.: 3XN Architects Denmark

The shape of the building was predetermined because of the restrictions set forth by the city of Salzenstein, Switzerland – the location of the chalet. Arch.: tecDesign

Located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the museum building is conceived as inclined or elevated platforms, gradually forming a sculptural structure. Arch.: 3XN Architects Denmark

The site of the stadium is located in Warsaw’s suburb Praga Poludnie on the Vistula River opposite the city centre of Warsaw with the old town where many of the city’s tourist attractions are located.

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a 48 000 seater stadium in Port Elizabeth. It is one of three coastal stadiums built in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Arch.: gmp-Architekten

Perkins Eastman designed the New York Stock Exchange’s (NYSE) “next-generation trading floor,” creating a unique workspace custom re-designed for the NYSE Euronext’s blend of high-tech, high-touch trading. Arch.: Perkins Eastman

NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham; brings multiple generations together and creates an optimal living environment for elders at all points of the aging continuum. Arch.: Perkins Eastman Architects, New York

The Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, is a 71-story building whose unique structural form is one of the most energy-efficient skyscrapers in the world. Arch.: SOM Skidmore, Owings, Merrill - Chicago/USA

The design for the redevelopment of Post Rotterdam/Netherlands, incorporates an ambitious mixed-use concept devised to respond to and enhance the original qualities of the existing building. Arch.: UNStudio Amsterdam

That efficiently designed buildings are often aesthetically attractive is once more proved by the Princess Elisabeth Station. Arch.: International Polar Foundation, Bruessel

The project is located in the coastal town of Sant Feliu de Guixols in Spain. This luxury single family house is designed with different levels gaining sea views. Arch.: DNA Architects Barcelona

The original building, opened in 1930, represented the luxurious flagship for a chain of famous European department stores. Benoy Architects' aim was to recreate Renoma's former allure by blending the new and modern with traditional features.

Swanke Hayden Connell Architects (SHCA) unveils its design for a 92 unit apartment building in a residential suburb of central Istanbul. SHCA's offices in London and Istanbul are collaborating on the design development and construction phases.

RiverStone Retail Complex was created as an integrated space, the two level enclosed regional shopping center designed by world famous architect, Daniel Libeskind, with interior design by Benoy, will be the first of its kind in Korea.

One of the advantages of the project is its location; it is placed in a corner, which is accessed by two main roads. This benefits the design and allows to think about a great entrance. Arch.: DNA Architects Barcelona

The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is one of the stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It provides a capacity of about 42.000 seats and is one of the most modern stadiums in Africa.

Saxo Bank is a young dynamic internet bank with focus on online-trade with currencies, shares and futures on the bank’s self-developed platform, Saxo Trader. Arch.: 3XN Architects Denmark

The shopping and office center will be located on Sitniakovo Boulevard, in the prestigious Oborishte district in the eastern part of the business district. Arch.: ECE Projektmanagement GmbH & Co. KG

The Shanghai World Financial Center stands as a symbol of commerce and culture that speaks to the city's emergence as a global capital. Arch.: KPF - Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects, New York

The FIFA World Cup 2010 is intended to become an "African" World Cup that represents the flair and culture of the continent - also the Soccer City Stadium, designed by the South African architects Boogertman & Partner.

The Universiade sports center consists of a stadium, a multifunctional hall and a swimming pool. The stadium in the Bao’an district is designed as an athletics stadium. Arch.: gmp Architects, Hamburg

The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Azerbaijan's capital Baku at Crystal Hall. Alpine Bau Deutschland GmbH, the general contractor for the project, was contracted to design and implement a multipurpose event-venue. Arch.: gmp-Architects

The project's center is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that connects the neighborhoods and countryside on the road's four sides, a work of art and a sculptural landmark: a new symbol for Stockholm. Archi.: Giudice Architects

The new Denmark's Aquarium is situated in the borderland between the worlds of Poseidon and Zeus. Arch.: 3XN Architects Denmark

The new addition, named the Bloch Building, engages the existing sculpture garden, transforming the entire Museum site into the precinct of the visitor's experience. Arch.: Steven Holl Architects

Located in the Business Bay district of Dubai, the Opus will be fringed by the Burj Dubai development. It will be neighbours with the Dubai International Financial Center and the World Trade and Convention Centre. Arch.: Zaha Hadid

One of Europes most spectacular structures draws near its completion. It is an open, loose and aerial location which appeals to work or stay there. Arch.: JSK Dipl.-Ing. Architekten Frankfurt

This vibrant project, covering aparmetns, is located in the beaches of Miami, being the best synonymous of fashion, glamour, relaxation, music, fun and uniqueness of the city. Arch.: DNA Architects Barcelona

The new TKTS Booth and the redevelopment of Father Duffy Square create a new center for Times Square, one of the world’s most popular and iconic destinations. Arch.: Perkins Eastman New York

The architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) have been commissioned to realize a tower block complex of ten buildings in Nanjing. The design by gmp is for a financial enterprise center on a site of about 80,000 square meters in this large eastern Chinese metropolis.

The new headquarters for China Central Television combines the entire process of TV-making into a single loop of interconnected activity. Arch.: OMA, Rotterdam

Masaryk University Campus is the largest project of its kind in the Czech Republic. Currently the last parts of this imposing high-tech building are near to completion. Arch.: Amos Design

Hovering over a tropical garden, this 'horizontal skyscraper' is a hybrid building including apartments, a hotel, and offices for the headquarters for Vanke Co. ltd.
Arch.: Steven Holl Architects

As the first part of the "retail landscape" of Shopping City Zagreb, Westgate is a shopping centre of European dimensions. Arch.: ATP Architects & Engineers, Vienna

The Xintiandi old factory will be renovated into a high quality building with a combination of functions including offices, retail, hotel and multi-purpose area. Arch.: Peter Ruge Architekten, Berlin