This article studies the use and functions of metaphors in twenty building reviews compiled from the magazine The Architectural Review between the years 1998 and 2000. The author describes in detail the textual structure of the building review genre, which is overall composed of three main parts: the Introduction (e.g. background information, positing of the building in context, etc.), the Description (e.g. siting details, technical details, general organization of the building, etc.), and the Closing Evaluation. Results show that this genre is pervaded by CLOTH metaphors (e.g. The walls of the wedge-like form are clad […] in a delicately translucent glass skin), LANGUAGE metaphors (e.g. The new […] Library is a modern reinterpretation of Wyoming’s vernacular ranch buildings), MUSIC metaphors (e.g. This alternating rhythm of teaching block and atrium also has the merits of flexibility), and BUILDINGS ARE PEOPLE metaphors (e.g. Art, buildings and landscape are allowed to speak for themselves).