21st Century Architecture Quiz: The Cutting Edge

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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!

#2: Architecture Quiz Questions

25 Questions · 68 Plays · No comments

Question 1

For which two-time presidential hopeful is this Dallas museum named?

  • A
    John Anderson
  • B
    Gary Johnson
  • C
    Wesley Clark
  • D
    Ross Perot

Question 2

Beijing's National Stadium, constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics, goes by which nickname?

  • A
    Bird's Nest
  • B
    The Basket
  • C
    The Aerie
  • D
    The Doghouse

Question 3

This pair of residential skyscrapers known as Absolute World is located in the suburbs of which Canadian city?

  • A
    Toronto
  • B
    Vancouver
  • C
    Calgary
  • D
    Edmonton

Question 4

In which Italian city are these sylvan residential towers located?

  • A
    Milan
  • B
    Rome
  • C
    Florence
  • D
    Venice

Question 5

Which Smithsonian museum is pictured here?

  • A
    National Museum of the American Indian
  • B
    National Museum of African American History and Culture
  • C
    National Museum of African Art
  • D
    American Art Museum

Question 6

Which tiny Middle Eastern country's national museum is located in this magnificent structure designed by French architect Jean Nouvel?

  • A
    Brunei
  • B
    Bahrain
  • C
    Qatar
  • D
    Oman

Question 7

Which iconic architect designed the controversial CCTV headquarters in Beijing?

  • A
    Norman Foster
  • B
    Zaha Hadid
  • C
    Richard Meier
  • D
    Rem Koolhaas

Question 8

In which U.S. city can you check out books from this stunning public library?

  • A
    San Antonio
  • B
    Toledo
  • C
    Minneapolis
  • D
    Seattle

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?

  • A
    Zaha Hadid
  • B
    Julia Morgan
  • C
    Carme Pigem
  • D
    Jeanne Gang

Question 10

Which superstar architect designed the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a Parisian landmark that opened in 2004?

  • A
    Frank Gehry
  • B
    Renzo Piano
  • C
    Rem Koolhaas
  • D
    Jean Nouvel

Question 11

Where can music lovers attend performances in the stunning Harpa Concert Hall?

  • A
    Stockholm
  • B
    Vancouver
  • C
    Reykjavik
  • D
    Prague

Question 12

Which Silicon Valley tech giant is headquartered in this flying saucer-looking structure?

  • A
    Apple
  • B
    Google
  • C
    Facebook
  • D
    Cisco Systems

Question 13

Which Scandinavian country is home to this award-winning residential complex, known as "The Wave"?

  • A
    Sweden
  • B
    Norway
  • C
    Denmark
  • D
    Finland

Question 14

Which popular London museum is housed in a converted power station?

  • A
    Tate Modern
  • B
    National Gallery
  • C
    British Museum
  • D
    Victoria and Albert

Question 15

Which U.S. city is home to the residential skyscraper known as the Aqua Tower (2010)?

  • A
    Cleveland
  • B
    Miami
  • C
    Dallas
  • D
    Chicago

Question 16

Pictured here, which city's skyline boasts the second-tallest building in the world?

  • A
    Taipei
  • B
    Abu Dhabi
  • C
    Shanghai
  • D
    Singapore

Question 17

The Oculus is a transportation hub in which city?

  • A
    London
  • B
    New York
  • C
    Berlin
  • D
    Stockholm

Question 18

Which city is home to Renzo Piano's California Academy of Arts and Sciences?

  • A
    San Francisco
  • B
    Los Angeles
  • C
    San Diego
  • D
    Sacramento

Question 19

Visitors to which Southeast Asian city can stay at the Marina Bay Sands resort, known for its unusual design?

  • A
    Singapore
  • B
    Manila
  • C
    Jakarta
  • D
    Bangkok

Question 20

What is housed inside Under, this semi-submerged structure on the Norwegian coast?

  • A
    A restaurant
  • B
    An aquarium
  • C
    A vacation home
  • D
    A museum

Question 21

Where did the venerable Victoria & Albert Museum open a branch in 2018, its first outside of London?

  • A
    Birmingham, England
  • B
    Dundee, Scotland
  • C
    Melbourne, Australia
  • D
    Edinburgh, Scotland

Question 22

New York's acclaimed High Line park was built on an abandoned elevated railway line in which gritty neighborhood?

  • A
    Diamond District
  • B
    Meatpacking District
  • C
    Hell's Kitchen
  • D
    Bowery

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)?

  • A
    Walter Gropius
  • B
    Mies van der Rohe
  • C
    Le Corbusier
  • D
    Philip Johnson

Question 24

Which European city has greeted its jetlagged visitors with this spectacular airport terminal since 2005?

  • A
    Amsterdam
  • B
    Brussels
  • C
    Paris
  • D
    Madrid

Question 25

Which Los Angeles museum is housed in this distinctive 21st-century structure?

  • A
    The Getty
  • B
    LACMA
  • C
    The Broad
  • D
    The Hammer

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