It's actually incredibly common to extend trademark status to include pictures of architectural works. For example, just google around to find examples such as

It's actually incredibly common to extend trademark status to include pictures of architectural works. For example, just google around to find examples such as ... Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don't know about the other examples, but the Rock Hall lost that battle: http://www.gentilephoto.com/html/bio_frame.htm http://www.gentilephoto.com/html/bio_frame.htm As it happens, I live nearby, and I've used my big black camera and tripod on the premises many times without incident. The security guards have always been friendly to me. I think the overall trend of wealthy organizations and individuals attempting to broaden their intellectual property holdings this way is a symptom of the way high litigation costs result in asymmetric access to the legal system. The Rock Hall (or Jay Maisel) can afford to litigate forever. I'd be utterly ruined by even a single lawsuit.