The Mitchell house was built in 1968 in Dodge City, Kansas. It was designed by Bruce Goff. It was modeled using Asian influences, which was much different than the surrounding architecture at the time. The building features a lot of angular geometry and sloping roofs. This is my favorite of Bruce’s projects; the sloping roof into the ground reminds me of the entrance to a hobbit hole, albeit above ground.

The Bavinger house was a building completed in 1955 in Norman, Oklahoma, designed by Bruce Goff. It is considered a prominent example of organic architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places and 2001 and removed from the register in 2017 after it was demolished. In my opinion, I think the design of the house is very interesting and cool; I really like the ascending spiral connected by supporting lines. The house looks very unique, unlike anything I’ve seen before.

The Ledbetter House is a historic house located on Brooks street in Norman, Oklahoma. It was built in 1948 and is now owned by the University of Oklahoma. It is on the Nation Register of Historic Places. The most prominent feature is the suspended carport at the front of the house. There are also rooftop patios located at the top of the residence. As of right now, the residence is private.

The Boston Avenue Methodist Church is a church designed by architect Bruce Goff. Finished in 1929 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it is considered a shining example of Art Deco architecture. Bruce designed the church in tandem with Adah Robinson, an art teacher at a Tulsa high school. The church includes a tower that utilizes finials and crockets. At the top is a sculpture that represents two hands raised up in prayer. It uses many mixed materials, including metal, glass, and terra cotta. A piece of stone from the church is embedded in a wall of the Chicago Tribune Building.

I always hated going to the dentist. For me, it took too long, the nurses were rough and hurt my teeth, and it always had a “sterile” atmosphere. It just seemed unnecessary to me. Every time that six month mark came around, I would dread the inevitable dental checkup that my mom would force me to go through.

The dentist office I would go to was called “Dental Depot” (There’s one in Norman, you might have seen it). It’s supposed to resemble a train station, fake train and all. There was even a model train that ran along a miniature track around the whole interior of the building near the ceiling. My understanding is that it imitates this design to appeal to kids and make it more accessible for them. While it helped, this did not work on me.

I appreciated the design of the building itself; I thought the train theme was very unique and interesting. Besides that, though, I still had a burning hatred for the dentist, and this design strategy did not aide me well; I was still going to have to wait in a dreary receptionist room, get my mouth poked and prodded at, and I’d still have to be lectured by the dentist about why I should floss. Overall, while it is a very interesting architectural design choice, it did not do me much good.

When it was built in 1931, the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world. It wasn’t the tallest when I visited in 2011, but it’s captivating height and beautiful Art Deco design piqued my interest. It is the tallest building that I have visited since.

The building’s original purpose was to be the tallest building in the world, to captivate and inspire, and that it did. Almost the whole time of my stay in New York City, the building was in view or close to it. When we decided to visit the building and I walked up to the base and looked up, I was completely in shock. To me, it just kept going and going. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

The elevator ride up to the 86th was the longest one I’d ever taken; it felt like forever. However, the view at the top was well worth the wait! I could see the whole city and more in 360 degrees. It filled me with a sense of wonder and amazement being so high up above everything else; it made me feel free. Ever since then, I’ve had a fascination with tall buildings.

For many students at the University of Oklahoma, the Bizzell Memorial Library is either a safe haven of productivity, or a place filled with nightmarish memories of school. For me, I’d have to say it is the former.

I first encountered the library when I was taking a tour of OU as a senior in high school. Part of the tour took us through the various facilities that the library has to offer. It was a splendor walking through the corridors and hallways, looking at all the rest spots and study rooms; I had never seen a library this big and encompassing before in my life. It made my high school library look like a joke!

As I grew older and became a student at OU, my amazement with the library naturally drew me towards it when I needed it most. I spent many days and nights in various rooms in that library studying for school, whether it be by myself or with friends. I’ve spent every semester studying for finals there with friends and classmates, and I believe the calming nature of the library prepared me well each time.

I first encountered this marvel of architecture in the summer of 2019 in Florence, Tuscany. I was in Italy to study abroad through the OU program, and a visit to Florence was part of our Itinerary. From first viewing on the ground outside, the dome looked ginormous; It literally towered over the rest of the city. It is impossible to realize the magnitude of the building unless you’re there in person.

What first resonated with me was the gothic architecture style used throughout the building. The large, tall pillars and pointed arches made the cathedral feel imposing compared to the rest of the city. Walking through the main hall towards the dome was an experience in of itself, my anticipation rising as the dome on the far end crept into view.

The dome was absolutely massive and beautiful. While walking on a ledge around the perimeter of the inside of the dome, the intricate painting and stained glass windows stood out to me. It sparked within me a new appreciation for architecture within that moment, as I thought about the amount of labor that went in to designing and building this huge cathedral in the 14th and 15th centuries, back when tasks like this were almost impossible.