The Scottish Parliament building and the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow feature in the set of 10 images which capture the distinctive lines and shapes of structures across the UK that have become famous landmarks.

Also featured in the set are the London Aquatics Centre; the Library of Birmingham; Giants’ Causeway Visitor Centre, Northern Ireland; the National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff; the Eden Project, St Austell; the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool; the IWM North, Manchester and the Blavatnik Building, formerly Switch House, Tate Modern, London.

The past two decades has seen a surge in the construction of new public buildings in the UK.

A great many of these adventurous and innovative structures, serving culture, sport, government and business, have since become popular and integral parts of their local landscapes, often playing a part in regeneration.

Some were initiated by central government, some by civic leaders of major cities, and others were the ideas of passionate individuals.

There has also been a renewal of confidence in British architecture led by world-famous architects including Dame Zaha Hadid, Lord Richard Rogers and Lord Norman Foster, along with a host of other talents.

Philip Parker, stamp strategy manager, Royal Mail, said: “These new stamps celebrate visionary buildings which combine stunning architecture with great engineering.”