The glass pyramid above the entrance to the Louvre in Paris is one of the "Grands Projets" of the Mitterand era. Its opening in 1989 caught the attention of the world; its design, though initially controversial and hotly debated, soon gained wide acceptance and became the new symbol of the French capital.

This is a perfect example of how architecture can make a lasting change to the real and perceived appearance of places - this is a massive responsibility to society, resting on the shoulders of architects, designers and building owners.