Stunning contemporary 'villas', each designed differently by some of Asia's hottest architects, form one of the most offbeat and luxurious hotels in Beijing with 46 guest rooms spread among 12 luxury villas.

America's hottest architect is a raven-haired, 20-something in a red power suit.

On April 17 the Walker Art Center here will unveil a head-turning $92 million expansion designed by the hot Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

The publisher (Phaidon Press, $59.95) asked 10 critics on five continents to name 10 hot, youngish architects, then devoted four pages to each.

Amid growing student interest in their programs, New York architecture and design schools are moving to add new buildings conceived by hot architects of the moment.

At the time, the Chicago Tribune dubbed Gehry "the hottest architect in the universe" in reference to the acclaim for his Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

Frank Lloyd Wright, the year's hot historical architect, inspired the library's fake stained-glass doors and the rec room's out-of-kilter paneling.

In, too, are hot architects, flashy painters, dress designers, film stars, the English and the rich: old and nouveau.

Designed by another hot architect, Rafael Viñoly, a runner-up in the competition to rebuild the World Trade Center site, it will open in 2005.

The city sought donors to cover Gehry's work, and the Chicago Tribune dubbed him "the hottest architect in the universe" for his acclaimed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.