you know them when you see them, the great public buildings. these places are always about so much more than their contents and function. the question is: will tate modern’s 215 million pound extension have it? and what else is going to happen over the next decade?

tate modern extension by jaques herzog and pierre de meuron

swiss architects jaques herzog and pierre de meuron’s extension of the tate modern consists of brick and intricate latticework. the key thing, however, is what the building, with its high-level viewing platform, will do for south london. tate modern faces north across the thames: the symbolism of the fact that its 215 million pounds extension will face south is huge.

the landmark buildings shaping the next decade the museum of liverpool by 3XN

the museum of liverpool by danish architects 3XN is a sort of stone and glass bow tie it is right next to the famous ‘three graces’ edwardian pierhead buildings.  costing around 72 million pounds the museum is due to open in 2011.

the landmark buildings shaping the next decade the marlowe theatre by keith williams

the new 25.5 million pounds marlowe theatre, in canterbury, by architect keith williams, looks promising. although modern in appearance, with a flytower angled towards the cathedral, it returns to the idea of the tightly stacked, intimate victorian auditorium; it opens in september 2011.

the landmark buildings shaping the next decade the city of birmingham library by mecanoo architects

the city of birmingham’s new filigree-clad 193 million pounds main library, by the dutch architects mecanoo, will be built on centenary square and should be open for business in 2013.

with so many cultural building projects happening, you wouldn’t think there was a global recession at all. the world’s tallest tower, the burj dubai, which opened yesterday, is a beautiful monument to another approach entirely — the one that says it’s enough to build anything extreme, and people will come. read more