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he world of awards has the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Grammys. Now how about the "Archies"? This year, for the first time, Americans picked their favorite works of architecture.
The American Institute for Architecture (AIA), a professional organization, conducted the survey to mark its 150th anniversary. It polled 1,804 people and narrowed their picks to 150 buildings. The choices included everything from skyscrapers to airline terminals.
Not surprisingly, the top pick was the Empire State Building in New York City. The choices that followed it were also American icons: the White House, the Washington National Cathedral, and the Jefferson Memorial, all in the nation's capital, and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Though well liked, some of the top selections still proved to be as contentious as Sanjaya Malakar's popularity on American Idol. Some critics say that New York City's Chrysler Building (No. 9) was worthier than the Empire State Building of the top position. Both buildings are examples of art deco design. "The Chrysler has so much more pizzazz than the Empire State Building," said one respondent to the AIA Web site.
Other respondents wondered why their favorites weren't on the list—why no Statue of Liberty, no Seattle Space Needle, no Mormon Tabernacle?
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But reactions were uniformly positive about the No. 10 choice: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The memorial is a V-shaped black granite wall that bears the names of more than 58,000 U.S. soldiers who died or were classified as missing in action in the Vietnam War (1957–1975). It was created by Maya Lin, then a 21-year-old student at Yale University. Initially, Lin's concept was as controversial as the Vietnam War itself. Many people wanted a monument that showed the heroism of battle. For some, Lin's black wall was a reminder of death and of a war that the United States lost. Now millions of people, including many Vietnam veterans, flock to see the memorial each year.
Choose Your Favorite Landmark!
You're probably familiar with the landmark structures on the AIA list. Here are some lesser-known but still admired buildings. Click on each image below for the landmark's name and a closer view. Then vote for your favorite!
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