Christian de Portzamparc's massive, much-maligned Cidade das Artes is a grandiose emblem of Rio's ambitions. Photo © Hufton+Crow Sail-like sheets of structural concrete enclose theaters and support the elevated spaces. The raised floor plate of Christian de Portzamparc’s Cidade das Artes lifts its public spaces higher than a busy traffic interchange in Rio’s sprawling Barra district, affording views to the sea and moun­tains. On first impression, Rio de Janeiro's Cidade das Artes seems an act of architectural hubris and urban lunacy. Opened to the public last year after almost a decade of interrupted construction and cost overruns, it has been

Can London oust the ghosts of Olympics past and find ways to reuse its venues? Photo courtesy Olympic Delivery Authority Click the image above to view slide show. Click the image above to view slide show. Assuming the dreams of London's Olympic planners come true, London 2012 will be as much a regeneration project as a global athletic event. From the outset, its defining mantras have been regeneration and 'legacy''East London's future. The location of the Olympic Park, straddling four of the city's poorest boroughs in East London's Lea River Valley, is far removed from the royal palaces and leafy