Trafalgar Square...minus lions and Nelson

Believe it or not this is Trafalgar Square. If you look closely you may be able to make out St Martin-in-the-Fields.

This vibrant painting is the vision of renowned architect Zaha Hadid for what the square could look like.

Londoners may baulk at the apparent disappearance of Nelson's Column, the fountains and the lions, but given the transformation of the world's largest cities in the past 100 years everything seems possible.

That revolutionary urban change is one of the central themes of an exhibition, Global Cities, exploring London's place in the world at Tate Modern.

Using paintings, models and video installations, artists and architects will address the major issues facing great urban centres.

The show will use London as point of reference, comparing the capital with nine other cities: Cairo, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Global Cities, from 20 June to 27 August in the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, 10am to 6pm. Free.