Controversial constructions

Populism in judging provocative architecture may attest to the pulse of public sentiment, but rarely does it foretell the fate of icon status.

Acluster of high-rises pierces Suzhou's skyline. Standing next to the Golden Rooster Lake, which anchors the bustling new downtown, will be 10 buildings. Two of these will shoot up 500 meters and connect at their top, forming an n-shaped twin tower that has spawned a spate of derision.

The cardinal sin, it seems, is the perceived resemblance with a pair of jeans. Some have joked that it would be appropriate if the Gate of the Orient, as the towers are officially known, becomes a hub for the garment industry, especially trouser producers. Others quip that the "Big Boxer Shorts", the nickname for the new CCTV tower in Beijing, would no longer be lonely with a newfound cousin in the south.