21st Century Architecture Quiz: The Cutting Edge
Written by Susanna Henke
Last updated · 7 min play time
Test your knowledge of iconic architectural marvels in this four-part series. This second quiz is all about the cutting-edge buildings of the 21st century!
Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.
- Frank Gehry
This four-part Architecture Quiz series will explore awe-inspiring architecture all over the world, from the iconic monuments of antiquity to the cutting-edge designs of the 21st century. We'll test your knowledge of famous towers, plazas, mosques, castles, cathedrals, and every other type of structure under the sun.
A Chance to Build Your Architectural Expertise!
The questions in this Architecture Quiz series range from basic to difficult. We'll see how much you already know about the greatest architectural feats and wonders in the world, from the engineering triumph of an ancient pyramid to the delicate grace of a Gothic cathedral, from the mathematical symmetry of a classical government building to the undulating form of a 21st- century skyscraper. Regardless of how much knowledge you start with, you're bound to learn something new. Even better, you may encounter a breathtaking architectural work for the first time in this photo-rich quiz series.
Quiz #2 is All About The Amazing Architecture of the 21st Century
While certain periods in history have had one dominant architecture style, the 21st century is a design smorgasbord. Thanks to rapid technological advancement, the engineering limitations that once hampered an architect's creative vision are becoming less and less of an issue. When it comes to contemporary architecture, the sky's the limit.
Stay tuned for the next two installments of this four-part Architecture Quiz series! If you missed Quiz #1, you can still try it out here. In the meantime, why not check out the rest of our fascinating architecture- and design-related quizzes? You can start right here!
Quiz written by
Susanna Henke#2: Architecture Quiz Questions
25 Questions · 68 Plays · No comments
Question 1
For which two-time presidential hopeful is this Dallas museum named?
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AJohn Anderson
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BGary Johnson
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CWesley Clark
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DRoss Perot
Ross Perot
The stunning Perot Museum of Nature and Science was named for billionaire philanthropist Ross Perot and his wife Margot following a $50M gift in their names from the couple's children. Designed by Pritzker-winning architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis Architects, the museum opened to visitors in 2012.
Question 2
Beijing's National Stadium, constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics, goes by which nickname?
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ABird's Nest
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BThe Basket
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CThe Aerie
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DThe Doghouse
Bird's Nest
The all-star design team behind Beijing's Olympic stadium included Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron (the firm responsible for London's Tate Modern and San Francisco's de Young Museum, among many others) and renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei as artistic consultant.
Question 3
This pair of residential skyscrapers known as Absolute World is located in the suburbs of which Canadian city?
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AToronto
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BVancouver
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CCalgary
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DEdmonton
Toronto
Designed by Burka Architects, the unusually shaped (and oddly named) buildings were such a hit with the residents of Mississauga, Ontario that the entire complex sold out - based only on the design submission.
Question 4
In which Italian city are these sylvan residential towers located?
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AMilan
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BRome
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CFlorence
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DVenice
Milan
Architect Stefano Boeri's inspiration for Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) was a 1957 novel by Italo Calvino, <i>The Baron in the Trees</i>, in which the protagonist decides to abandon the ground and live in the trees for the rest of his life. Together, the two residential buildings have 730 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 perennials and ground cover on its facades.
Question 5
Which Smithsonian museum is pictured here?
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ANational Museum of the American Indian
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BNational Museum of African American History and Culture
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CNational Museum of African Art
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DAmerican Art Museum
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Designed by David Adjaye, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened to the public in 2016 - 13 years after George W. Bush authorized its creation and one century after the idea was first lobbied in 1915.
Question 6
Which tiny Middle Eastern country's national museum is located in this magnificent structure designed by French architect Jean Nouvel?
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ABrunei
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BBahrain
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CQatar
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DOman
Qatar
Nouvel's delicate - yet massive, at 361,861 square feet - building somewhat resembles an exquisitely balanced house of cards. The revolutionary design was the architect's response to his client's top request: that he create a structure that embodied Qatari identity. NBD, right? Nouvel found his inspiration in the "desert rose", a rose-like formation of crystal clusters that form in Qatar's salty sand.
Question 7
Which iconic architect designed the controversial CCTV headquarters in Beijing?
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ANorman Foster
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BZaha Hadid
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CRichard Meier
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DRem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Completed in 2012, the unusual building has inspired reverence in some quarters (the <i>New York Times</i> said it might be "the greatest work of architecture built in this century") and mockery in others (Beijing residents have christened it "big pants").
Question 8
In which U.S. city can you check out books from this stunning public library?
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ASan Antonio
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BToledo
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CMinneapolis
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DSeattle
Seattle
Completed in 2004, the Seattle Central Library boasts multiple public spaces with extraordinary views of the city and Puget Sound. Books are displayed on a spiral ramp that winds through the interior.
Question 9
Which architect earned the nickname the "Queen of Curves" and became the first woman to ever receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004?
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AZaha Hadid
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BJulia Morgan
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CCarme Pigem
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DJeanne Gang
Zaha Hadid
Iraq-born Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) broke through the proverbial glass ceiling when she claimed the Pritzker Prize in 2004 - an especially impressive accomplishment given that she had only designed four buildings at the time. She would go on to receive many more awards for her work, including the Design Museum's "Design of the Year" (Britain's top prize) for the Heydar Aliyev Center in Azerbaijan (above).
Question 10
Which superstar architect designed the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a Parisian landmark that opened in 2004?
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AFrank Gehry
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BRenzo Piano
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CRem Koolhaas
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DJean Nouvel
Frank Gehry
Gehry's spectacular building is even more impressive given its location: Paris is not a city known for its embrace of modern architecture.
Question 11
Where can music lovers attend performances in the stunning Harpa Concert Hall?
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AStockholm
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BVancouver
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CReykjavik
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DPrague
Reykjavik
Designed by Copenhagen's Henning Larsen Architects along with local firm Batteríið Architects and Danish/Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, the Harpa Concert Hall opened to the public in 2011. The building's spectacular facade of geometric glass panels was inspired by the basalt formations common in Iceland. The individual panes reflect different components of the capital city's stunning natural surroundings.
Question 12
Which Silicon Valley tech giant is headquartered in this flying saucer-looking structure?
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AApple
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BGoogle
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CFacebook
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DCisco Systems
Apple
Apple Park was a true passion project for Steve Jobs, who hired Pritzker-winning architect Norman Foster in 2009 to help realize his vision. Two years later, Jobs died, but the project went forward and opened in 2017. Appropriately, the building incorporates some cutting-edge technology, such as the ventilation system that keeps the interior between 68 and 77 degrees solely through the intake and release of natural air - quite a feat in the soaring temperatures of Silicon Valley.
Question 13
Which Scandinavian country is home to this award-winning residential complex, known as "The Wave"?
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ASweden
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BNorway
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CDenmark
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DFinland
Denmark
Designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen, The Wave endured a long and winding construction road: Work began in 2006, then was halted in 2008 by the recession and in 2013 by Larsen's death. Construction started up again in 2015 (steered by Larsen's colleagues at Henning Larsen Architects) and finally finished in 2019. That same year, Larsen's firm won the European Prize for Architecture, the top award in the field. The rollercoaster-like waterfront complex houses 105 luxury apartments distributed through five nine-story towers, with the top two floors of each dedicated to double-height penthouses. The project also included a public promenade and wooden deck area with access to the Vejle Fjord.
Question 14
Which popular London museum is housed in a converted power station?
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ATate Modern
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BNational Gallery
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CBritish Museum
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DVictoria and Albert
Tate Modern
The Tate Gallery acquired the cavernous Bankside Power Station in 1994 and moved its modern collection into the renovated space in 2000. The same year, the Millennium Bridge opened, linking the museum to the grand St. Paul's Cathedral across the Thames - a connection that would have been avoided at all costs a century before. An 1899 publication summarized the grim conditions of the industrial Southwark area at the time: the "number, viciousness, poverty and crowding is unrivalled [sic] in anything I have hitherto seen in London … the inhabitants are … the dregs of the population."
Question 15
Which U.S. city is home to the residential skyscraper known as the Aqua Tower (2010)?
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ACleveland
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BMiami
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CDallas
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DChicago
Chicago
The 82-story tower's distinctive rippling facade is comprised of private outdoor terraces for the apartments within.
Question 16
Pictured here, which city's skyline boasts the second-tallest building in the world?
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ATaipei
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BAbu Dhabi
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CShanghai
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DSingapore
Shanghai
Completed in 2015, the Shanghai Tower's list of records includes tallest building in China, world's tallest observation deck, and world's second-fastest elevator. Even more impressive is that the tower's unusual twisting form was actually a cost-saver! The curved corners and tapering shape increase wind resistance, allowing a much lighter structure (to the tune of $58 million in savings on materials).
Question 17
The Oculus is a transportation hub in which city?
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ALondon
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BNew York
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CBerlin
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DStockholm
New York
Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Oculus opened in 2016 as part of the World Trade Center renovation in downtown New York. While meant to suggest a phoenix rising from the ashes, many feel it more closely resembles a pair of giant claws (or worse, a whale carcass).
Question 18
Which city is home to Renzo Piano's California Academy of Arts and Sciences?
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ASan Francisco
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BLos Angeles
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CSan Diego
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DSacramento
San Francisco
Opened to the public in 2005, Piano's spectacular building achieved LEED Platinum certification - thanks in part to its undulating 2.5-acre roof.
Question 19
Visitors to which Southeast Asian city can stay at the Marina Bay Sands resort, known for its unusual design?
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ASingapore
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BManila
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CJakarta
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DBangkok
Singapore
The one-of-a-kind Marina Sands offers its guests an ultra-luxe experience, as well as proximity to Gardens by the Bay, a spectacular park featuring extensive floral gardens and architectural gems - including the two massive curved glass conservatories in the foreground.
Question 20
What is housed inside Under, this semi-submerged structure on the Norwegian coast?
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AA restaurant
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BAn aquarium
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CA vacation home
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DA museum
A restaurant
Designed by Norwegian firm Snøhetta and completed in 2019, Under is a gourmet restaurant where guests dine 16 feet below the ocean's surface. The project included installation of underwater cameras fixed to the building's exterior, which will help scientists study the marine species in the area.
Question 21
Where did the venerable Victoria & Albert Museum open a branch in 2018, its first outside of London?
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ABirmingham, England
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BDundee, Scotland
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CMelbourne, Australia
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DEdinburgh, Scotland
Dundee, Scotland
Designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates, the V&A Dundee's striking facade is created by layers of precast concrete slabs - an homage to Scotland's spectacular cliffs.
Question 22
New York's acclaimed High Line park was built on an abandoned elevated railway line in which gritty neighborhood?
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ADiamond District
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BMeatpacking District
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CHell's Kitchen
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DBowery
Meatpacking District
The High Line's incredible popularity has triggered some grumbling due to the number of tourists who now flock to the once-quiet section of town.
Question 23
Which pioneer of 20th-century modernism did Pritzker-winning Japanese architect Toyo Ito cite as an influence in the design of Sendai Mediatheque (2001)?
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AWalter Gropius
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BMies van der Rohe
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CLe Corbusier
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DPhilip Johnson
Le Corbusier
Ito's transparent masterpiece houses a library, cafe, retail shop, and community space.
Question 24
Which European city has greeted its jetlagged visitors with this spectacular airport terminal since 2005?
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AAmsterdam
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BBrussels
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CParis
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DMadrid
Madrid
From the gentle waves of its bamboo ceiling to the quantity of natural light (and blissful lack of fluorescent lights), Madrid's Barajas Airport is a site for a weary traveler's eyes.
Question 25
Which Los Angeles museum is housed in this distinctive 21st-century structure?
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AThe Getty
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BLACMA
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CThe Broad
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DThe Hammer
The Broad
Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in 2015, The Broad has been lauded for the cellular "veil" in which it's enclosed. The hundreds of openings are designed to highlight the modern art museum's urban setting, as well as let in tons of natural light - while still blocking direct sunlight that could damage artwork.
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