Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

One of the most visually striking and widely praised buildings on the list, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is perhaps one of the most abstract pieces of architecture to be found.

The curved outer walls are intended to appear random and spontaneous, with some arguing that the building resembles a ship. Others have pointed out that the reflective panels of the exterior shimmer in the sunlight, resembling fish scales.

The Guggenheim Museum has attracted praise for its innovation from a number of sources, being called “an astonishing architectural feat” by The Independent.

Image credit: MykReeve