Public Architecture Now! A new book hails our boldest buildings

The main stadium for the World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, designed by Toyo Ito. With more than 8,000 solar panels on its roof, on a sunny day the stadium can cover 75% of its energy needs
Photograph: PR

Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande, designed by Santiago Calatrava. Venice may have more bridges than any other city in the world, but this is only the fourth to be built over the Grand Canal since the 16th century
Photograph: Barbara Burg and Oliver Schuh/Palladium Photodesign

Experimental Media and Performing Arts Centre (EMPAC) in New York, designed by London-based architects Nicholas Grimshaw. Seven years in the making, the building perches improbably above the town of Troy, withstanding the gravitational pull that has bedevilled its neighbours
Photograph: PR

The Lantern in Sandnes, Norway. The product of a collaboration between AWP architects and Atelier Oslo, this structure's unusual blend of shelter and openness marks a new approach to public space design
Photograph: PR

The 1,000-seat Melbourne Recital Centre and 500-seat MTC Theatre, both designed by ARM, are located on the Australian city's Southbank, where they offer an eye-catching new civic space in the heart of the arts precinct
Photograph: John Gollings

Majori primary school sports ground in the Latvian town of Jurmala, designed by Substance. Inspired by the amber fragments found washed up along the Baltic coast, the centre is used for athletics and ball games in summer, and turned into an ice rink in winter
Photograph: PR

Les Bains des Docks by Jean Nouvel. This 12-pool swimming complex is part of the €31m regeneration of the docklands in Le Havre, France. ‘It is a paradox ... inspiring simplicity and robustness,' says the architect
Photograph: PR

Court of Justice of the European Communities. Dominique Perrault architects won a competition to design an extension to this complex in 1996. The brief was to unify the existing set of buildings with a design that added to its area as much as its prestige
Photograph: PR

Public Architecture Now! is available to buy from the Taschen website, priced £24.99
Photograph: PR