Architecture today is responsible for a great part of the tourism industry. Egypt is represented

by its pyramids, India by the Taj Mahal and France by the Eiffel Tower. But what is it that

makes a building so iconic that people will travel miles for it?

According to the magazine Malaysian Business, there are several key factors that cause a

property to be iconic. These include concept, meaning that a structure is “architecturally

brilliant” and unique”, value which means that it should involve “major… investment” and

land area, viability (located in a business center), innovation, reception (become a tourist

attraction) and sustainability. < Chong, Yvonne…”A Look at Local Iconic Architecture”,

p24.>

These factors are however, contradictory because a building may not be a tourist attraction

yet a wonderful example of unique architecture. An iconic structure neither requires

extensive funding nor needs to be in a business center. A simple structure in a quiet place can

be iconic.

An example of this is Thorncrown Chapel which was visualized by architect E. Fay Johns.

Although it is small, located in woodland and was built on a relatively tiny budget of $

180,000, it is still perceived as iconic because of the wonderful way in which it blends with

its surroundings. Although it is not as big a tourist attraction as the Empire State Building, for

example, it was voted as one of the top 10 buildings of the 20th century by the American

Institute of Architects. <Ivy, Robert. "Thorncrown Chapel still beckons.">

Cleo Broda defines iconic architecture as a large-scale structure with cutting-edge design that

is instantly recognizable to the general public. It should also be commissioned by a renowned

architect. Often it serves as headquarters for an organization (an example is the Chrysler

Building). <Broda, Cleo. "An examination of a series of small structures against the criteria

for defining iconic architecture" >

Iconic architecture seems to be worldwide, the same in every country- architecture that if

removed from Paris would fit just as well in Melbourne or New York. Melbourne Museum is

an instance of such international architecture with an “aesthetic” that represents the “idea of

modernism” and defines Melbourne as an “international location” without attributing it to a

certain country. <Jungwirth, Tamara, and Amber Wallis. " Filming Melbourne’s Iconic

Architecture.">

One of the problems with recognizing iconic architecture is that it is not as simple to classify

as it depends on individual tastes. Today, iconic architecture is very much controversial. An

example is the conflict between Alsop Architects and the Liverpool City Council over “The

Cloud” in 2004 although the council approved the design before construction even began.

Architects are also becoming increasingly worried about the functionality of iconic buildings.

<Hurst, Will, Charlie Gates, and Damian Arnold. "End of the iconic age?"

There are other opposing views to iconic architecture. According to Charles Jencks, as it is

defined by the “icon”, it must be simplified in some ways which obviously means that some

of the meaning is lost. This is a problem because iconic architecture depends mainly on the

‘idea’ or the ‘concept’ behind it. Many other architects believe that iconic architecture is

simply a fad that replaced the monumental architecture so revered before it. Jencks disagrees,

stating that it will stay, because of its immense popularity with the people and the money it

earns. An example that he mentions is the Bilbao Museum designed in 1997 by Frank Gehry.

<Jencks, Charles. "The iconic building is here to stay">

In my personal opinion, for a building to be iconic, it need not be world-famous or receive

millions of visitors each year. Neither does it need to be controversial. It should fulfill the

basic requirement of being architecture while having slightly more. That is to say, it should

be aesthetically pleasing and fulfill a function. To be iconic though, it needs to be memorable,

especially beautiful or with some other unique feature that creates an appeal to the general

public. While some people may view certain controversial structures as iconic, a truly iconic

building will have unanimous agreement on its status.

The Fourth Grace, Liverpool.

<The Fourth Grace. "BBC Liverpool - Arresting Scenes." >

Works Cited:

"BBC Liverpool - Arresting Scenes." bbc.co.uk, n.p., n.d. Web.25 Sept.2010.

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/culture/2004/06/archweek/alsop/calendarPop5.html >

Broda, Cleo. "An examination of a series of small structures against the criteria for defining

iconic architecture" City: analysis of urban trends, culture, theory, policy, action 10.1 (2006).

25 Sep. 2010.

Chong, Yvonne; Cheah Chor Sooi; Gurmeet Kaur; Mior Azhar; Johannes Ridu. "A Look at

Local 'Iconic' Properties" Malaysian Business. 16 July 2009. P. 24. Web.

Hurst, Will, Charlie Gates, and Damian Arnold. "End of the iconic age?." Building Design

1635 (2004): 1. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.

Ivy, Robert. "Thorncrown Chapel still beckons." Architectural Record 194.6 (2006): 200-

201. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.

Jencks, Charles. "The iconic building is here to stay" City: analysis of urban trends, culture,

theory, policy, action 10.1 (2006). 25 Sep. 2010

http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/13604810600594605

Jungwirth, Tamara, and Amber Wallis. "Filming Melbourne’s Iconic Architecture." Metro

151 (2007): 68-70. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.