Southeast Asia's architectural treasure

Yangon's majestic landmark towers over the city from the top of Singuttara Hill. The pagoda is 99 meters high and covered with shining gold plates. It has been the center of religious life of Myanmar for centuries. The pagoda's layout is intricate, while the complex surrounding it is vast. Recently, high-rise construction was banned in the vicinity of the pagoda in order to preserve its views.

Welcome to the Secretariat, Yangon's iconic colonial building, which is an epic symbol of British rule; a haunting monument to the broken dreams of Burmese independence. Built in several stages between 1889 and 1905, it became the administrative center of British Burma. The sight of those glowing red bricks, obscured by forbidding barbed wire, transfixes legions of locals and visitors alike.

After decades of neglect, the future of Yangon's most iconic colonial building is slowly taking shape. In 2012, a little-known entity was awarded the lease on the building and some restoration work began inside the complex. But significant investment will be needed to bring the 40,000-square-meter complex back to an acceptable state. Current plans feature museums, galleries and a cultural center.

Today's Theingyi Market began its existence as the "Surati Bara Bazaar" in the 19th century. A visit here is a definite must-see Yangon experience as grinding traffic, baskets of fresh fish and hollering merchants seem locked in a seamless choreography controlled by higher forces.

Few buildings evoke old Yangon quite like Sofaer's Building. This imposing edifice is in a decrepit state today but still - despite the years, weeds and grime - retains the grandeur of its young glory days. In the early 20th century, tenants included the news agency Reuters, Bank of Burma and China Mutual Life Insurance Company. Today, an art gallery and a Japanese restaurant attract tourists.

Several buildings from the 1950s and '60s tell the story of a young nation struggling to find its place in the world. The Tripitaka Library, pictured here, was built on the occasion of the Sixth Buddhist Synod which took place in Yangon from 1954-1956.

This city is the shared legacy of tangled nations and kindred cultures. In that sense, it is literally an example to the world. As the Burmese historian Thant Myint-U points out in his writings, the expression "plural society" was coined to describe the exceptional mix of colonial Yangon. Pictured here is the Mogul Shia Mosque, built by Persian immigrants in the early 20th century.

The renovation of the building is due to transform the Yangon Division Office Complex, as it was known until recently, into a 229-room luxury hotel operated by the international Kempinski chain. Local activist groups had vehemently opposed the deal, calling instead for public use of this iconic building on Strand Road.

With the economic and political "opening" of Myanmar, the pace of change in Yangon is breathtaking. Here, a new pedestrian bridge across Strand Road is pictured. Hastily erected to cope with soaring traffic on this busy thoroughfare, it now obstructs the view onto this stretch of impressive colonial-era buildings by the river. They include the Myanma Port Authority building with its iconic tower.

It is not yet clear how the city's landscape is going to change in the coming years. Many of Yangon's historic sites are in a dilapidated state, but few are interested in their preservation. That's why Ben Bansal, Elliott Fox and Manuel Oka recently wrote a guide book titled "Yangon Architectural Guide," summarizing the city's architectural heritage. The book will be available from October 2015.