Guess the Architect: January 2025

A monthly contest from the editors of RECORD asks you to guess the architect for a work of historical importance.

Clue: A pair of intertwined concrete ramps form the centerpiece of this path-breaking animal habitat, a home for penguins at a major European zoo. Designed by an émigré from the Soviet Union, the curved structure helped introduce Modernism to a skeptical public—and illustrated its theatrical potential. Though its avian inhabitants have since moved to larger and sandier quarters, the building remains a prime zoo attraction.

By entering, you have a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card. Deadline to enter is the last day of each month at 5:00pm EST.

Last month’s answer: The Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine landmark in the heart of Istanbul, was designed by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. Completed in 537 for the emperor Justinian I, the former church is known for its soaring masonry dome, which, despite having collapsed several times in the centuries after its construction, remains among the largest and most impressive in the world.

Photo courtesy Ahmet Polat