Built in just 11 months for the America’s Cup, this spectacular viewing pavilion is part of a programme to upgrade the urban environment at Valencia harbour, making it more attractive to the public. A series of broad decks, the lower ones shaded by the levels above, perfectly fulfils the building’s function, framing the view of what is a rather unprepossessing port area. Inside are bars, restaurants, VIP lounges and offices. Simple, powerful forms and a restricted palette of materials (whitepainted steel over a concrete frame, glass, dark wood) are combined in this timeless modern masterpiece. Chipperfield and his Spanish partner Fermín Vázquez have given the city a new icon.