'World's Greatest Places 2018'

Experience is the operative word in the subtitle to Time's 100-strong list: these aren't places to visit; they're places to have experiences – or at least document them on social media. A case in point is the Tianjin Binhai Library in China, designed by MVRDV and turned into an internet sensation last year. An undulating atrium of striated bookshelves is visually astounding, but what looks like books are mainly wallpaper meant to look like books. Turns out the atrium cannot be used for books, which were placed there at the opening but then had to be removed. This was just enough time for people to take selfies and injure themselves. 

Time's list is divided into three sections: to visit, to stay, to eat & drink. Naturally most of the contemporary architecture falls into the first and is therefore the focus here, complete with screenshots. Some architectural highlights from the image above (links are to W-A articles; click here to visit the Time web page):

• Tippet Rise Art Center in Silver County, Montana, with art by Ensamble Studio
• Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany, with architecture by Herzog & de Meuron
• Seoullo 7017 Skygarden in Seoul, South Korea, designed by MVRDV
• Thread in Sinthian, Senegal, with architecture by Toshiko Mori
• Zaryadye Park in Moscow, with architecture by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and landscapes by Hargreaves Associates

But looking at some highlights from the next screenshot, apparently one aspect of the Bilbao effect has not been carried forward 21 years later: recognition. Of these four, only the King Abdulaziz description on Time's website mentions the architect:

• Austin Central Library in Austin, Texas, with architecture by by Lake Flato
• Design Society in Shenzhen, China, designed by Fumihiko Maki
• Löyly in Helsinki, Finland, with design by Avanto Architects and Joanna Laajisto Creative Studio
• King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Saudi Arabia, with architecture by Snøhetta​

The grid of images on Time's website certainly recalls Instagram and other platforms, like Pinterest, that allow people to share images with the world. Unfortunately, Time's presentation doesn't go beyond that to provide more eye candy beyond single images, just brief descriptions. Looks like some visits – I mean experiences – are in order! Some more highlights:

• Lascaux International Center for Cave Art in Vézère Valley, France, with architecture by Snøhetta
• Teopanzolco Cultural Center in Cuernavaca, Mexico, with architecture by Productora
• The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, by MASS Design Group for EJI
• Louvre Abu Dhabi in UAE, with architecture by Jean Nouvel
• Governors Island in New York City, with landscape architecture by West 8 and others
• Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, South Africa, designed by Thomas Heatherwick