So how did the book’s editors figure out what on earth to include–especially from the more remote spots of the globe? Three years ago they started sending out hundreds of letters and e-mails, seeking nominations. At least 150 experts weighed in; the first list contained more than 4,000 possibilities. Then a panel began to winnow them down. “Yes, it was a Herculean task,” says Karen Stein, editorial director of Phaidon in New York. “There was lots of debate on some projects and consensus on others.” The criterion: “They had to be buildings you’d go out of your way to visit.”
So here are the top three global-design hot spots. Extend that trip to Tokyo–Japan’s in third place, with 72 structures here, from beautiful slivers of houses to massive office towers. Achtung! Check out the edgier buildings among the 77 in Germany in these pages. But the country with the most must-see architecture is the United States–though you’d have to travel from Seattle to Miami to visit all 112 entries. And don’t try to tuck this guidebook into your tote bag as you pack: at 18 pounds (and $160), it’s strictly for armchair dreaming.
