Where else can you walk past a foreshortened version of the Eiffel Tower, straddling what looks like the Paris Opera, and think to yourself, compared to the pirate ship down the street that looks almost classy?

FORBES: Why I Hate Vegas - And Apple Sync, Too

Among the other high-profile designers working in the city: London-based Zaha Hadid Architects designed a new opera house under construction, and Information Based Architecture of Amsterdam designed the TV and sightseeing tower that will contain retail shops and gardens with teahouses.

WSJ: Skyline Gets Facelift Ahead of Asian Games

Locals might snigger at the city's celluloid makeover actress Thandie Newton cruises past the Opera House in a harbor uncluttered by ferries, the movie's deadly virus is housed in an office tower normally home to the New South Wales state premier, and the Spanish hacienda is actually located in urban Elizabeth Bay.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Harboring Hollywood