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1. Howard Roark, The Fountainhead (1949)
Howard Roark, the lead character of Ayn Rand鈥檚 novel, remains a hero to architects for his refusal to compromise his artistic vision or give up his ideas to others. As played by Gary Cooper in the film, Roarke is an embodiment of manly integrity with a dash of Hollywood glamour. 鈥淚 am an architect,鈥� says the stout defender of the profession in the film鈥檚 closing scenes. 鈥淢y ideas are my property.鈥� You can practically hear a generation of architects weep. FAT鈥檚 Sam Jacob has a closer reading of the film here.

2. Doug Roberts, The Towering Inferno (1974)

The implicit hubris of designing skyscrapers comes under fire in this disaster classic, no doubt inspired by the construction of the World Trade Centre (1972) and Sears Tower (1973). 鈥淎rchitects,鈥� sneers the fire chief to architect Paul Newman. 鈥淵ou know there鈥檚 no sure way for us to fight a fire in anything over the seventh floor, but you guys just keep building 鈥榚m as high as you can.鈥� Of course, it鈥檚 the developer cutting costs that causes the fire, but we鈥檙e left in no doubt by the writers as to what the building represents: 鈥淎 shrine to all the bullshit in the world鈥�.

3. John Baxter, Don鈥檛 Look Now (1973)
The architecture of Venice is essentially one of the main characters in Nic Roeg鈥檚 horror classic, with the crumbling vaults and grimy canals adding to the film鈥檚 powerful atmosphere of decay. John Baxter, Donald Sutherland鈥檚 character, is in Venice to restore a church while he and his wife try to overcome the death of their child. A sceptic, Baxter as architect represents the cold, functional side of the human psyche while his wife, played by Julie Christie, is the credulous spiritualist side. Then a killer dwarf enters the frame and the metaphor breaks down somewhat.

4. Anna, Paperhouse (1988)
Charlotte Burke鈥檚 character in this little-known psychological art film is not technically an architect, but the film has such an architectural premise it is a surprise it isn鈥檛 more popular. Anna, a sickly 10-year-old girl, draws a house in a childish scrawl only to find herself visiting it in her feverish dreams. The production design recreates the disjointed, uneven sketch of the house to chilling effect. I can imagine architects having dreams like this themselves. You can鈥檛 currently get it on DVD but unbelievably someone has uploaded it to YouTube.

5. David Murphy, Indecent Proposal (1993)
What kind of a man would be immoral enough to auction off a night with his wife for 拢1m? Why, an architect of course, and 鈥� as played by Woody Harrelson - one so down on his luck that he is forced into a job as a (whisper it) lecturer. How humiliating! Few architects鈥� wives look like Demi Moore of course, but given the opportunity I wonder how many of today鈥檚 cash-strapped practice directors would turn down Robert Redford鈥檚 offer?

6. Sandy, Breaking and Entering (2006)
Freeman鈥檚 character runs an architecture practice in this Anthony Minghella offering with one played by Jude Law. Now, I鈥檓 sure plenty of latte-bearing architects would like to think the handsome Mr Law is exactly the right person to represent their profession on celluloid, but actually Mr Freeman鈥檚 character is the architect on this list most true to life. Bearded, overweight and neurotic, he is everything a hundred senior partners are, and more.

7. 鈥淔rank Gehry鈥�, The Simpsons
Of course, FOG is a real person, but he voiced a fictional version of himself on America鈥檚 longest-running sitcom to hilarious effect (鈥滷rank Gehry, you鈥檝e done it again!鈥�). Not only did he make fun of himself 鈥� witness his inspiration from a piece of scrumpled-up paper 鈥� but he made fun of his buildings, in this case, a concert hall which is converted to a prison. Say what you like about Gehry, but I can鈥檛 imagine Norman Foster appearing on Gavin and Stacey.

8. Michael Newman, Click (2006)
Click screenwriter Steve Koren explained to the San Fransisco Chronicle why Adam Sandler鈥檚 character is an architect in this remote-control-allows-user-to-control-time comedy: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not even looking to get that deep with the profession. You鈥檙e just looking for a job for your leading man. 鈥淎rchitect鈥� has a positive spin. I mean Mr. Brady from 鈥楾he Brady Bunch鈥� was an architect.鈥� Enough said.

9. Healy/Tucker, There鈥檚 Something About Mary (1998)
The fact that not one but two characters 鈥� played by Matt Dillon and Lee Evans - pretend to be an architect to impress a girl in this lewd comedy surely proves that the reason architecture is such a popular profession in the US is not because of its creative potential but for its opportunities to get laid. Which brings us neatly to鈥�

10. Art Vanderlay, Seinfeld
Seasoned Seinfeld aficionados will know that Art Vanderlay is the character George Costanza鈥檚 fictional alter-ego, who works in 鈥渋mports鈥� exports鈥� architecture鈥�. George too thinks the profession attracts the ladies. 鈥淵ou know I always wanted to pretend to be an architect!鈥� cries George when he realises Jerry has told a date he is a marine biologist (He isn鈥檛 one of those either). Even now, ten years after the sitcom finished, you can buy a 鈥淰andelay Industries鈥� T-shirt.