Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee

Since the decline of industry in the US, Milwaukee — a city previously known almost exclusively for brewing and manufacturing — has been undergoing its own renaissance, adding new tourist-worthy attractions and architectural masterpieces to its evolving skyline. 

Spanish starchitect Santiago Calatrava’s design for the Milwaukee Art Museum is as inspiring as the 25,000 works of art it houses. The concrete Quadracci Pavilion was the architect’s first completed project in the United States, and it includes a moving brise soleil that “opens” like a pair of wings to span 217 feet. The wings can then close over the structure at night or during poor weather conditions. Since its construction the building has become the symbol of Milwaukee and change.