Frozen in time

The crumbling baroque buildings, vintage American cars and Che have all become the symbols of postcard Havana. What will become of them now that Castro has resigned, wonders Observer architecture correspondent Stephen Bayley

Brave new Beijing

The Olympics have given Beijing a new generation of buildings built by 'starchitects'. Alex Pasternack picks out the most spectacular

Russia’s land of lost churches

A quest to discover the forgotten churches of Russia's rural heartlands takes Robin Stummer to a place where time flows backwards

Reflected glory

When the Guggenheim opened 10 years ago, it was the sole attraction in the uninspiring port of Bilbao. Now the rest of the city has caught up.

Love at first sight

It was supposed to be a temporary attraction. But eight years on the London Eye has become a shining symbol of our capital city. Steve Rose explains why taking it down would now be unthinkable.

High style in the Alps

Heidi wouldn't recognise the place - today even Alpine supermarkets are at the cutting edge of design, writes Tom Robbins.

New bricks in the Wall

The Commune started as a showcase for modern architecture on the Great Wall and evolved into one of Asia's most exciting, and affordable, design hotels.

The hotel wonders of the world

Forget low-key boutique hotels, architects are upping the ante with a new breed of mega-hotels destined to become landmarks in their own right. Deyan Sudjic charts the rise of the 'statement' hotel.

Wonders or blunders?

How far will we go to attract tourists? Architecture correspondent Jonathan Glancey chooses the best and worst additions to the world's landscapes.